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Christian Beck’s 


GRANDSON. 


TRANSLATED FROWTHE GERMAN OF 

V gustav'nieritz. 


BY 


MARY E. IRELAND. 

1 ^ ^ 

AUG 20 1895 ' 


HtcJ?mon6, Pa.: 

Presbyterian Committee of Publication. 
1894. 




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OPYRIGHTED 



BY 


J A S. K. H A Z E N, Secretary of Publication. 

1894. 




Printed by 

Whittet & Shepperson, 
Richmond, Va. 


TO Her 


Valued 

MRS. EMMA B. SCHOLL, 

OF BALTIMORE, 

A faithful Helper iN missionary and other cHUrcH 
» work, 

this beautiful story of german Home Life 
IS affectionately dedicated by 

the translator. 

Washington, D, C. 



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CONTENTS. 


Page. 


CHAPTER I. 

In the Evening, .... 

7 

CHAPTER n. 

Christian Beck as A Messenger, 

. 17 

CHAPTER m. 

A Visit to Raundorf Castle, . 

. 30 

CHAPTER IV. 

A Division of the Spoils, 

. 36 

CHAPTER V. 

The First and Second Wills, 

. 50 

CHAPTER VI. 
The Night Watchman, . 

. ' . 62 

CHAPTER Vn. 
Tobias Goes on a Journey, 

. 73 

CHAPTER Vin. 
Tobias Sees the Pastor, 

. 86 

CHAPTER IX. 

A Terrible Fright, 

. 95 

CHAPTER X. 

A Good Riddance, .... 

. 103 

CHAPTER XI. 

In Quarters, 

. 115 


5 


6 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 


CHAPTER XII. 


The Two Battles, 

. 126 

CHAPTER XIII. 

What is True Honor? .... 

. 136 

CHAPTER XIV. 

An Attack by Freebooters, . 

. 148 

CHAPTER XV. 

The Alarm Bell, ..... 

. 160 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Prisoner op War, ..... 

. 169 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Letters for the Baron, .... 

. 179 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Disobedience to Orders, 

. 187 

CHAPTER XIX. 

The Hidden Letter, .... 

. 195 

CHAPTER XX. 

Great Changes, ..... 

. 203 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Albert Scheinert’s Speech, 

. 213 

CHAPTER XXII 

A Happy Reunion, 

. 224 


CHRISTIAN BECK’S 
GRANDSON. 


CHAPTEK I. 


IN THE EVENING. 



AKE care, Tobias, take care; lam afraid 


Y that you will fall and hurt yourself ; go 
slower, Tobias.” 

“I would, dear grandfather; but see! I have 
reached the top step of the belfry tower, and 
never slipped once.” 

“It is exactly the way I would have gone up 
at his age,” thought the aged schoolmaster, 
Christian Beck, “ but now my old bones would 
not bear the strain, and my breath is too short 
for such exertion. There,” continued he, as a 
vigorous sound of the bell rang out upon the 
evening air, “the boy has already reached the 
belfry room.” 

“Did you hear it, grandfather?” questioned 
Tobias, in glee, as the old man appeared. 

“ Oh, yes ; if people would only speak in the 
clear tones of that bell they would not have 
occasion to say that I am deaf, while, in truth. 


7 


8 


Christian Beck's Grandson. 


I am only somewhat difficult of hearing. And 
it is no wonder, when one considers that I was 
a cannoneer in the Thirty Years’ War, and 
since that have taught school. It is surprising 
that I can hear so well.” 

“I pulled the bell-rope with a strong grasp; 
do you think that the villagers knew that it was 
only a boy who was ringing the bell?” 

“You did very well indeed, and the bell is a 
good one; blessings upon the generous Frau 
von Kaundorf, who gave it to the church. She 
did many good deeds in her life time, and no 
wonder the poor and needy grieve for her loss, 
as well as the poor old Baron.” 

“Let us stay up here a while, grandfather, 
and look out of the window,” said Tobias; “I 
never get tired of looking down on the people. 
What were you saying about the Baron ? ” 

“I was only about to wonder what joy he 
can take in his beautiful home, now that his 
wife is gone, and he is estranged from his only 
near relative, the young Lieutenant Carl von 
Baundorf,” replied Herr Beck, as he seated 
himself upon the bench upon which Tobias 
knelt. The boy, in the meantime, was gazing 
from the window upon the one street of the 
village of Kaundorf, upon the red roofs lighted 
by the beams of the setting sun, the fruit trees 
in bloom, the smoke curling from chimneys; 


9 


In the Evening. 

be heard the rumbling of vehicles and the 
sound of cheery voices. He could see Leise 
driving home her flock of geese, and Casper, 
the herdsman, bringing his sheep and goats to 
their stalls for the night. Boys were playing 
ball upon the green, and matrons were knitting 
by their open doors. 

‘‘Why is the bell rung at this hour in the 
evening, grandfather?” inquired Tobias, the 
thought coming to him for the first time. 

“I am glad that you asked me, for I have 
strangely neglected to tell you. It is an offer- 
ing of gratitude for deliverance from the wicked 
Turks. Twice they have invaded our country, 
and robbed and murdered the citizens ; but 
now, thanks be to God, we are at peace with 
them, and mothers can sleep at ease beside 
their little ones. For this great blessing we 
give thanks at this hour, calling it to remem- 
brance by the tolling of the bell. But there 
goes our gracious Herr Baron, looking dark of 
countenance this beautiful evening. He would 
not look so were he at peace with his nearest 
of kin and with his own conscience. Yes, yes, 
a good conscience is necessary to happiness ; 
no one is at peace with himself and with the 
world who does not do right.” 

“What has he done, grandfather, that is not 
right ? ” 


10 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

“ He has discarded his own nephew, his only 
brother’s son, whom he took upon the death of 
the parents and loved as his own. But young 
Lieutenant Carl married against his wishes, 
and was driven from the castle and told never 
to return.” 

“Why did the Baron dislike Herr Carl’s 
wife?” 

“The Baron is a very proud man, and the 
young wife is a burgher’s daughter, and poor, 
while he had selected for him a wealthy lady 
and one of high position. In his anger he has 
willed all his beautiful estate to Herr von Seer- 
hausen, a nephew of his late wife, and Baron 
Carl gets nothing.” 

“But, grandfather, if he is sad over these 
things, why doesn’t he change his will while 
he can ? He could send for Herr Carl and his 
wife and children, if he wished ; don’t you 
think that they would come ? ” 

“ Gladly, gladly ; they are both sincere Chris- 
tians, and forgive as they hope to be forgiven. 
Herr Carl loves his uncle as he would a father, 
and well he may, for the old baron treated him 
as tenderly as any parent could treat a son. 
He gave him a good education, and did his 
duty by him in every way. I well remember 
his tears of joy when young Carl, having given 
his heart to the Saviour, was received into the 


11 


In the Evening, 

cliurcli, and partook of the holy communion 
for the first time. The good Frau Baroness 
had led him into the path which brings peace ; 
now she rests from her labors.” 

“But, grandfather, the Herr Baron cannot 
be a Christian, or he would forgive.” 

“He has allowed his pride to master him. 
He longs for the companionship of Baron Carl, 
is lonely in his great house, but tries to keep 
the world from knowing it.” 

“We can see the castle plainly from this 
church tower, grandfather; don’t you think it 
is a pretty place?” 

“Beautiful, beautiful; a very valuable pro- 
perty. The whole country is lovely, especially 
at this hour. The setting sun has turned all 
the roofs to gold, and the windows to sparkling 
diamonds, and the mountains and valleys are 
bathed in golden mist. Sing your evening 
hymn, Tobias ; there can be no more fitting 
time and place than this.” 

The boy complied, his clear voice ringing in 
an anthem of praise, while the old schoolmaster 
joined in the melody, his eyes moist with tears. 

“It seems to bring me very near my heavenly 
home,” said he, when the hymn was concluded. 
“Many a time your mother and grandmother 
joined me in singing it; now they rest in the 
church -yard below.” 


12 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

They remained until the sun descended from 
view, then they left the tower, and when they 
reached the door of their cottage they were 
joyfully welcomed by their two geese, which 
had been driven home by Leise, the girl who 
had charge of all the geese of Eaundorf. It did 
not take long for the bright eyes of Tobias to 
see that the neck of one of them was bleed- 
ing. 

“Grandfather,” said he, “some one has hurt 
Fairy; see, there is blood on her snow-white 
feathers.” 

“It looks as if cut with a riding-whip,” said 
the old schoolmaster, examining it; “I wonder 
who could have been so cruel ? ” 

“It must have been done after Leise left 
them at our door, or she would have waited to 
tell us of it,” commented Tobias. 

“ Strange that, among so many geese, one of 
our two should be the only sufferer. I wish 
that the poor creature could talk, and tell us 
who hurt her, and why. Take her to the stall, 
Tobias, and set a pan of water near her; she 
will bathe in it, and nothing is better for a hurt 
than water. Then I will wash the salt from a 
piece of butter, which will make an excellent 
ointment, and we will rub it on the wound.” 

Tobias followed these instructions, then re- 
turned to the cottage, and he and his grand- 


13 


In the Evening, 

father sat down to their supper of sweet brown 
bread, butter, roast apples, cheese, and new 
milk, heartily enjoyed by both after the fatigues 
of the day. 

Tobias removed the remains of the meal, and 
put the room in order; then his grandfather 
took down the well-worn Bible, and read aloud 
a chapter, explaining it, as he read, to the 
listener. 

“ ‘ My peace I leave with you,’ ” concluded 
he, closing the book; “truly there could be 
no more beautiful benediction, and no one 
can appreciate it more than those who have 
been soldiers for many years of their life. Ah! 
some of us have passed through terrible times, 
the ground stained with the blood of human 
beings, and the cries and groans of the wound- 
ed ; and all this because men wanted territory 
which of right belonged to others. At this time 
we are at peace with all nations, and for this 
we must rejoice. Then, there is another peace, 
that of the home ; and there is upon earth no 
more beautiful sight than that of a happy home 
circle. Then, there is another peace, that of 
the conscience, and in that our Herr Baron 
fails ; he is angry with the whole world because 
he is unhappy, and he is unhappy because he 
cannot get his own consent to do the right. I 
hope that God will open his eyes to his folly 


14 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

and weakness while there is time to rectify his 
error.” 

‘‘Grandfather, if he is angry with the world 
and with everything in it, maybe he hurt our 
goose.” 

“We must not suspect anybody, my boy. 
And now it is your bedtime; good-night, and 
sleep well, not forgetting to say your evening 
prayer.” 

Tobias was soon in a sweet sleep, while 
Christian Beck sat for more than an hour by 
himself, enjoying the calm evening ; then he 
retired, but he could not sleep. 

“The poor goose!” thought he; “I think it 
the worst of cruelties to hurt defenceless creat- 
ures. I wish that I had gone to the stall be- 
fore coming to bed; I will go now, and see if 
the goose is yet bleeding.” 

He arose, dressed, and lighting a lantern 
went to his little stable, the joyful cackling 
of the geese proving him to be a welcome 
visitor. 

He had scarcely time to notice that Fairy 
seemed to be comfortable, when his attention 
was attracted to a knocking at his cottage door, 
and he hurried to see who it could be at that 
unusual hour. 

“ Can it be Pastor Seebach, who needs my 
services in some way? ” thought he. 


In the Evening. 15 

He was not long in doubt. Before the door 
stood a tall, straight, handsome young man. 

“Good evening, dear Beck,” said he, in a 
subdued voice. 

“Who are you?” inquired the old school- 
master, in surprise. 

“Don’t you know Lieutenant Carl ? ” 

“Is it possible ! ” replied the old schoolmaster, 
joyously, as he drew the leather string which 
raised the wooden latch. “ Come right in, Herr 
Carl, how glad, how very glad I am to see 
you!” 

“And I am glad to accept the invitation, 
for I know it is sincere, and your cottage is a 
haven of refuge to me, for I came at night, 
not wishing to be seen and recognized by the 
villagers.” 

“But, dear Herr Baron, they would rejoice to 
see you. Baundorf does not seem the same 
since you left it, much less your old home. 
The Baron misses you terribly. But your wife 
and little ones, where are they? ” 

“Waiting close by until I could see you and 
know if you could accommodate us.” 

“ Certainly I can, why should you doubt it? 
questioned the old schoolmaster; “go, dear 
Herr Carl, and bring them ; take the lantern to* 
light their way.” 

“No, dear Beck, my wife is brave and 


16 


Christian Beck's Grandson. 


sure-footed; no fear of her falling, and the 
light might attract the attention of some 
passer-by.’* 

He hurried away, and in a few minutes re- 
turned with his little family. 


CHAPTEE 11. 

CHMISTIAN BECK AS A MESSEKOEB. 



lEUTENANT GAEL led his little boy by 


the hand and upon his arm carried the 
sleeping Lila, while the mother bore the pack- 
ages containing necessities for a stay of even 
one night, and tears of joy were in her gentle 
eyes, now that they were assured of a place of 
repose for their sleepy little ones. 

“Take us to the school-room, dear friend,” 
said Carl, “our voices cannot be heard from 
there.” 

“ Yes, you are shut out from sight and sound 
of the street there,” replied the old school- 
master, “ follow me,” and taking up the lantern 
he led the way to a plain little room where Carl 
had conned his lessons in happy childhood. 

“You are somewhat changed in the years 
since you left us, dear Herr Baron,” commented 
the old man, holding the light where it fell upon 
his visitor’s face. “You are graver and more 
manly-looking, have not so much color, and 
are thinner; but your earnest, truthful eyes 
are the same, and I know that you are the 
2 17 


18 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


upright, honorable, generous man that you were 
when you left Raundorf.” 

“ Thank you ! It is good to be appreciated 
by those who have known us all our lives. You 
are sure we will not inconvenience you too 
much if we remain a few days with you? ” 

“Not in the least; my cottage is at your 
entire service, and is honored by having such 
guests. I will do all I can to make you com- 
fortable, but, of course, it cannot be like home 
to you.” 

“When love and peace and contentment are 
the foundations of a home, happiness cannot 
be wanting, even to the stranger within its 
gates,” replied the young man, feelingly, “ and 
you cannot know the comfort it is to me to 
find myself here. We will give you as little 
trouble as possible, and only hope that we can 
keep our coming a secret until we have seen 
my uncle, or at least done all in our power to 
see him.” 

“ I am quite sure we can manage to keep 
it from his knowledge, for to-morrow, being 
Saturday, there will be no school, and I have 
but few callers at any time. The Baron is 
seldom absent from the castle, and converses 
with no more people than he can help, so will 
not be apt to hear of your arrival in time to 
give orders to deny your admittance to his 
presence.” 


19 


Christian Beck as a Messenger, 

“We can only hope for the best,” replied 
Carl, cheered in spite of his misgivings founded 
upon the knowledge of his uncle’s unforgiving 
disposition.” 

“ You must all need some refreshment, you 
have traveled so far and did not wish to stop 
in the village, excuse me one moment and I 
will get you something to eat.” 

“ No,” replied husband and wife, in a breath, 
“ we really need nothing.” 

But this did not satisfy the hospitable nature 
of Herr Beck ; he set before them the simple 
viands of which he and Tobias had partaken 
hours before, and was glad to see that they 
were enjoyed. 

“Now, dear friend,” said Carl, rising from 
the table, “ if you would give us what you can 
spare to make cots in the school-room for the 
little ones, we will keep you no longer from 
your rest. Just a quilt or blanket to spread 
upon two benches will be all we need, for you 
know that I am a soldier, and can put up with 
much greater hardships than the want of a 
comfortable bed, and my wife is one who makes 
the best of everything.” 

“I can do better for you than that, dear Herr 
Baron ; if you will arrange the benches as you 
wish, I will bring three comfortable beds, and 
plenty of coverings.” 


20 Christian Beckys Grandson. 

The children, sleepy as they were, took keen 
interest in these novel proceedings, and while 
the father made two couches for them the 
mother prepared them for sleep, and free from 
care as the birds upon the boughs outside the 
schoobroom windows, they slept peacefully 
until late the next morning, and the parents 
upon a couch equally as comfortable, thanked 
God for the great kindness shown them, and, 
weary after their long day’s anxiety, also slept, 
if not so profoundly as the little ones, yet much 
better than they had hoped. 

Christian Beck arose quite early and went to 
his stall, his thoughts intent upon the day’s 
dinner. 

“ I am sorry to kill Fairy,” thought he, “ but 
God gave us these creatures for food, and I 
have nothing else, and as she has been hurt it 
is better to kill her than the other. Here, 
Tobias,” said he, as the boy appeared, and bent 
his steps toward the stream which flowed near 
the cottage, ‘‘ come as soon as you have flnished 
washing, I have an errand for you.” 

The morning ablutions were quickly per- 
formed, his hair was brushed and then Tobias 
hastened to his grandfather. 

“I wish you to take this goose to neighbor 
Metzger, and ask her to kill it, dress it, and 
roast it for our dinner.” 


21 


Christian Beck as a Messenger, 

*‘01i! grandfather, do you mean Fairy? Is 
she so badly hurt that you think she may die 
is your reason for killing her? ” 

‘‘No, indeed, she is not much hurt, but we 
must kill one of them, for we have visitors.” 

“Visitors! Where are they?” questioned 
Tobias, full of boyish glee at the prospect of a 
change in his quiet life. 

“There in the school-room, a gentleman, a 
lady, and two dear children, a boy named Otto, 
and a girl two years younger, named Lila.” 

Tobias was off like a deer, to see for himself, 
and standing by the apple tree in the garden 
he looked at the school-room window hoping 
to catch a glimpse of the visitors. He was not 
to be disappointed, for at that moment Lieu- 
tenant Carl came to the casement and looked 
out, and Tobias, much abashed, ran away. 

“ Why did you run ? ” laughed his grandfather, 
as the boy, with a very red face, stood before 
him. 

“ A handsome gentleman with a black mus- 
tache came and looked out, and a beautiful 
lady came and stood beside him. They smiled 
when they saw me, and I could not stay a 
minute longer.” 

“Well, your curiosity is satisfied, now you 
can go to Frau Metzger’s with the goose ; tell 
her I will pay her her own price for preparing 


22 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

it for our dinner ; and Tobias, don’t say a word 
in regard to our guests. Stop in the village 
and get some fresh semmels, then hurry back 
and help me with the breakfast.” 

Tobias departed, and in good time returned 
with the warm semmels from the bakery, and 
the report that the goose would be ready 
exactly at noon. 

“ Do you arrange four plates and cups, 
saucers, knives and forks upon a waiter, Tobias, 
and put the semmels and a pitcher of fresh 
water upon it, while I make the coffee,” said 
Herr Beck. 

Tobias did as requested, deftly and neatly, 
and by the time the cofiee was ready had tied 
a clean white apron about him, in readiness to 
carry the waiter to the school-room, where he 
found the young officer busily writing, his wife 
standing near. 

“Thank you, my dear boy, that coffee-pot 
and the blue cups and saucers remind me of 
the times when as a boy I slipped off from the 
castle to take breakfast with the schoolmaster. 
I thought there could be no better coffee than 
that made by your grandmother; and the 
fragrance of this brings it vividly to recollec- 
tion.” 

Tobias smiled, well-pleased, then returned 
to the little kitchen where his grandfather 


23 


Christian Beck as a Messenger. 

awaited him, and together they partook of their 
simple morning meal, and when they thought 
the Baron and his family had finished breakfast 
Tobias went to remove the waiter, and then his 
grandfather paid his morning greetings to his 
guests. 

“ Good morning, dear Herr Beck ! ” said the 
Lieutenant, “ we have all had a comfortable rest 
under your roof. I have written a letter to my 
uncle, in case he is not at home, or will not 
receive me. I have written many letters to 
him asking his pardon for having offended him, 
but have never received a word of reply. If 
he would but see my Amelia and the little ones 
I am sure he would forgive me for disappoint- 
ing him.” 

“I am sure he would were it not for his 
terrible pride ; that crowds out all tender feeling 
with one like him. But word of mouth may be 
of more avail than writing.” 

“We have taught our children to commit to 
memory a few words of greeting to their great- 
uncle, and trained them to call him grandfather. 
My dear Amahe, let the children repeat their 
greeting to Herr Beck.” 

“Dear Otto,” questioned the mother, gently, 
“what will you say to grandpa when you see 
him?” 

“Will sister say it, too?” inquired he. 


24 


Christian Beckys Grandson. 


“Yes, Lila will say just what you say,” smiled 
the mother. 

The children stepped into the middle of the 
school-room floor, folded their arms, and cast 
up their pretty blue eyes. 

“ Dear grandpa,” said Otto. 

“Dea* g’an’pa,” echoed little Lila, earnestly. 

“ Please forgive our papa and mamma — ” 

“Fordive our papa and mamma—” 

“For they love you — ” 

“For ’ey ’ove ’ou.” 

“Forgive and forget, dear grandpa,” con- 
cluded Otto. 

“Fordive an’ fordet, dea’ g’an’pa,” echoed 
Lila. 

The children’s petition was ended, and the 
schoolmaster’s eyes were full of tears. 

“ Only a heart of stone could refuse to grant 
the request of these dear little ones,” he said. 

“I wish you would add one more kindness 
to that already done, dear friend,” said Carl, 
“and that is, to take my letter to the castle, 
and to wait until my uncle reads it. You will 
then have opportunity to judge what temper 
he is in, and whether it will be better for us to 
visit him to-day, or to put it off until a better 
time.” 

“ Yes, I will take the letter, and hope that I 
will see him. My greatest anxiety is that he 


25 


Christian Beck as a Messenger. 

will speak so fast and loud that I cannot hear 
him. If people would only speak in a moder- 
ate tone, it would be better for me and more 
pleasant to them.” 

“I hope that my uncle will receive you kindly, 
for your own sake as well as mine ; it would 
grieve me to have you slighted.” 

‘‘You came at a good time, Herr Carl, for 
to-morrow the pastor preaches on forgiveness, 
and the Baron is never absent from his seat in 
church. And now I will set out for the castle.” 

Baron Carl watched him from the window, 
and hoped earnestly that the mission might be 
successful. 

“Pray God that he may listen to me, and 
not speak too loud,” thought the messenger, as 
he rang the bell and heard the footsteps of the 
servant approaching. 

“Please tell the gracious Herr Baron that 
Schoolmaster Beck has a message for him,” 
said he, the moment the door was opened. 

“He is dressing to go out, but you can wait 
here in the ante-room and I will tell him,” was 
the reply. 

Glad of an opportunity to compose himself 
before what he dreaded would be a stormy 
interview, Herr Beck sank into a chair and 
waited. In a few minutes the servant returned, 
and conducted him to the Baron. 


26 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


“What do you wish of me?” questioned the 
Baron, in a cold tone. “Nothing that is agree- 
able, I imagine.” 

“I hope never to be the bearer of any but 
agreeable news,” replied the schoolmaster, 
gently, “and what I bring now should be 
gratefully welcome.” 

“Well, out with it; don’t keep me waiting. 
Don’t you see that I am going out?” 

“ The very last thing that 1 wish to do is to 
anger you, for I long to be a messenger of 
peace,” and he put Carl’s letter into the hand 
of the Baron, who read it through, then tore it 
in pieces and trampled it under foot, while 
Herr Beck continued : 

“Your nephew loves you as though you were 
indeed his father ; he longs for forgiveness ; 
and, for the sake of your dead brother, whose 
only child he was, forgive him, and give him 
your love.” 

“And my property,” commented the Baron, 
sarcastically. 

“ Oh ! do not judge him so harshly,” pleaded 
Christian Beck; “surely you have not known 
him from childhood to so little purpose. The 
sin of covetousness can never be laid at his 
door, and he only values money for the good 
that he can do for others.” 

“I warned him what the penalty would be 


27 


Christian Beck as a Messenger. 

if lie married against my wishes; he chose to 
rebel ; let him abide by the consequences. Not 
a dollar of my money shall be his.” 

“But he does not think of money; he only 
craves forgiveness and the love that you once 
had for him. Forgive as you hope to be for- 
given.” 

“He disappointed my cherished hopes; he 
had no regard for my wishes, although I have 
been a father to him.” 

“Are we not all the children of our heavenly 
Father? Why, then, should we hold enmity 
against our brethren?” 

“ Let him remain in the obscurity in which* 
he has placed himself ; he has married a burg- 
er’s daughter; let him remain with that class.’* 

“But if you could see his lovely wife and 
children your heart would relent toward them ; 
she is a lady, good as she is fair.” 

“It is the old story of homespun and velvet; 
one of her class is not fitted by nature and 
education to occupy the station that I intended 
for my nephew ; I shall never recognize her as 
my niece.” 

“I have seen her, and know that she is one 
whom you may well be proud of; and you 
would agree with me would you but allow 
them to visit you.” 

“Would it not be quite as well for you not 


28 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

to meddle with matters which in no way con- 
cern you?” questioned Baron von Kaundorf, 
angrily. 

“I will go, Herr Baron,” said Christian Beck, 
moving toward the door; “but if you would 
write one line of comfort to the poor boy, 
whose only fault has been in marrying a noble 
Christian lady, your sleep will be sweeter this 
night.” 

“Leave the castle this instant, if you do not 
wish me to ring for the servant to put you out.” 

The old schoolmaster saw that it would be 
of no use to speak another word, so he returned 
to his cottage without the cheery message that 
he had hoped to bring. He knew it would be 
a disappointment to Carl, but did not look for 
the utter despondency which took possession 
of him. 

“ ‘Rome was not built in a day,’ dear Herr 
Lieutenant,” said he, soothingly, “and you 
must not expect your uncle to be reconciled so 
easily. To-morrow is the day of repose and 
reflection for all who choose to make it so ; let 
us hope that your uncle will think over your 
letter and what I told him. The sermon will, 
I am sure, reach his heart ; and I am organist, 
and have the selection of the hymns upon the 
subject, and the words are very touching; they 
cannot fail of effect.” 


29 


Christian Beck as a Messenger, 

Lieutenant Carl derived some comfort from 
these words, and thanked his old friend for the 
kind interest that he had shown ; and at that 
moment Tobias returning with the goose beau- 
tifully roasted, and having made ready the ta- 
ble before he left, they all sat down to dinner. 


CHAPTEE III. 

A VI8IT TO MAUNDOBF CASTLE. 

M onday morning came, and with many 
misgivings Carl and liis wife set out for 
the castle, taking the children, who were de- 
lighted at the prospect of a walk after their con- 
finement in the cottage for two days. 

Had the parents’ hearts been free from care, 
they would have enjoyed keenly the pleasures 
of a roam through the fragrant forest that 
beautiful day, but they were filled with anxiety ; 
and the song of birds, the gurgling of the 
stream, and wild flowers springing along their 
path were almost unheeded. 

At length they reached the main entrance to 
the castle, and passed through the gate ; the 
deep baying of the hounds gave warning to 
Eosamond, Hanna and Bertha, who came from 
the stalls where they were feeding calves and 
lambs, and seeing it was Baron Carl their eyes 
grew moist with pleasure. 

‘‘It is Herr Lieutenant Carl, welcome, wel- 
come!” cried they, joyfully. 

“ How are you all ? ” questioned he, glad as 
a boy to see them again. 

30 


31 


A Yisit to Raundorf Castle. 

All well ; but the castle is a dull place since 
you left it,” replied Bertha. 

By this time the coachman, gardener, and 
overseer had heard of the arrivals, and would 
have hurried to greet Baron Carl had not the 
presence of the lady restrained them ; only the 
steward remained out of sight, he had no affec- 
tion for the young Lieutenant, who with his 
little family now ascended the broad steps of 
the castle and waited while one of the servants 
went to announce their arrival. The young 
wife was nervous with apprehension and wish- 
ing the interview over, when the door opened 
and the old Baron entered. 

“ To what am I indebted for this visit ? ” said 
he, in a harsh voice. 

“Dear uncle,” said Carl, in trembling tones, 
“ do not turn from us. This is my wife ; these 
my little ones ; we ask your forgiveness and 
long to be reconciled to you.” 

The Baron looked at the young wife with a 
haughty frown upon his countenance, then 
turned to his nephew. 

“ You expect this of me, you who have so 
bitterly disappointed me, to whom I have been 
as a father, and intended to give all my posses-^ 
sions ? ” 

“ But, uncle, if you were but acquainted with 
my wife you would appreciate the goodness 


32 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


which won my affection. She longs to give yon 
the respect and attention due you from the wife 
of your nephew.” 

“ She did not know her place when she 
dared to marry one of your rank.” 

“My Amalie is the beloved daughter of an 
honored teacher. She does not, it is true, 
belong to the so-called nobility, but she is 
noble by nature, and has a sweet, gentle dispo- 
sition. We are very happy together.” 

“If you are so happy in each other’s society 
and that of your children, I wonder you crave 
my friendship,” commented the Baron, ironi- 
cally. 

“It distresses me that my second father is 
displeased with me, and my wife shares in the 
feeling, blaming herself as the cause of my 
estrangement from you.” 

“And back of all that is the fear of losing 
what the ‘ dear uncle ’ has to bequeath when he 
is done with earth.” 

“You do us great injustice,” said Carl, deeply 
wounded, “ it is the loss of the love and kind- 
ness you once gave me that we mourn. We 
have no right nor wish to influence you in 
regard to your estate, give us your love and 
friendship, it is all we ask.” 

Prompted quietly by the mother, the little 
ones stepped toward the Baron to make the 
speech which had been taught them. 


33 


A Visit to JRaundorf Castle. 

“ Dear grandpa,” said Otto. 

“ Dee g’anpa,” echoed Lila. 

“ Forgive papa and mother.” 

“ Hush this instant ! ” cried the old Baron, 
stamping his foot in anger, “I am sick and tired 
of all this acting ; you need not hope to blind 
me with your studied speeches. I see through 
your deceitful plans, and will pay no attention 
to them. You and your wife can remain in the 
station in which you have placed yourself.” 

“Say no more,” cried Carl, “do not tempt 
me to utter anything which I should regret.” 

“No, Carl,” said his wife, gently, “let us go; 
for our children’s sake it is better that no more 
be said. You have made the effort to make 
peace with your uncle, that it has failed is no 
fault of yours.” 

Without further words Carl took his little 
daughter in his arms, and, followed by Amalie 
and Otto, left the castle. 

Schoolmaster Beck was waiting for their 
return, and one glance at Carl’s face told him 
that the visit had not been a success. He read 
it in the downcast looks of the husband and 
the tears in the eyes of the wife. 

It was noon, and his scholars had dispersed 
to the forest to play, and he could hear all 
undisturbed. 

“ It is surprising,” said he, in a disappointed 
3 


34 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

tone, “I would never have believed that his 
heart was so hard that it would not be touched 
at the sight of these dear children. And he 
intends leaving his beautiful castle and all he 
possesses to Herr von Beerhausen, a miserly, 
godless man, with a dissipated son. But do 
not be discouraged, my dear young friends, 
there is a God of justice over all, and I believe 
your uncle will be sorry for this morning’s 
work. But while I am talking, the httle ones 
are nearly famished; sit down and rest while 
Tobias and I set up the dinner.” 

“We are deeply grateful to you for all your 
kindness to us, and will not trespass upon you 
much longer. Our carriage will wait in the 
forest for us, and about four o’clock we will set 
out for home no happier, save for your goodness, 
than when we came.” 

The balance of the roast goose, with brown 
bread, butter, roast apples, and coffee formed 
their dinner, then the children took their after- 
noon sleep, the scholars returned to their 
lessons, and the schoolmaster to his duties, and 
the husband and wife walked to the forest to 
wait for the carriage. 

“Dear Amahe,” said the Lieutenant, “the 
hospitality we have received from Herr Beck 
calls to mind the story of the rich man who had 
a large herd of sheep but would not prepare 


A Yisit to Raundorf Castle. 35 

one for the refreshment of a traveler, but his 
poor neighbor had but one and freely offered 
it. We have experienced it in the difference 
between the treatment of our uncle and the 
poor schoolmaster. I hope the time will come 
when I can return his kindness in the only way 
he would accept recompense.” 

After a time they saw the carriage approach- 
ing, so returned to the cottage, and school being 
over, the schoolmaster and Tobias bade good- 
bye to them and the little ones, and saw them 
drive away. 


CHAPTEK IV. 

A DlVISIOJSr OF THE SPOILS. 

HE next day Albert Scheinert, the son of 



1 the steward at the castle, was absent from 
his place in Herr Beck’s school-room, and it 
was supposed that, as was customary with him, 
he was playing truant. 

“ Go, Tobias,” said the old schoolmaster, 
“ and see if he is in the forest gathering hazel- 
nuts; the forest is a great temptation to idle 
boys.” 

Tobias obeyed, and was not long in find- 
ing the truant. “Come, Albert,” said he, 
“grandfather says to come into school this 
minute.” 

“ I will come when I feel like it, and not a 
moment before, and you may tell him so,” re- 
plied the boy, defiantly. 

“If you don’t come you will get a hazelnut 
switch upon your back, instead of hazelnuts in 
your pocket.” 

“ Let your grandfather whip me if he dares, 
and I will tell my father, and he will tell the 
Baron, and you will see how he stands then.” 

“ My grandfather is afraid of no man,” said 


36 


37 


A Division of the Spoils. 

Tobias, proudly, “he is a soldier, and served 
in the Seven Years’ War.” 

“ But he is old and deaf, and it would be no 
trouble for my father to persuade the Baron 
that he is too old to teach school.” 

“ It is no fault that he is old,” rephed Tobias, 
indignantly, “ and he says that it is God’s will 
that he is deaf, and he therefore never com- 
plains, and bears it patiently.” 

“Because he has to,” sneered Albert, “but 
his being deaf does not make him any better 
for school-teaching.” 

“But it should keep people like you from 
finding fault with him, and laughing at him. 
I did not tell him that you were making fun of 
him behind his back, putting your hand back 
of your ear as he does to enable him to hear.” 

“I don’t care if you do tell him; nobody 
learns anything from him ; it would only take a 
word from my father to get the Herr Baron to 
give the school to my cousin, who is much 
younger, and is not deaf.” 

“Certainly he would not be so cruel,” said 
Tobias, turning pale with apprehension. 

The sound of carriage wheels rolling over 
the bridge, which crossed the stream near them, 
prevented reply, and the boys looked with curi- 
osity upon the occupants, a gentleman and his 
driver. 


38 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


“It is the Herr Advocate Kiemer, from Eaun- 
dorf,” said Albert, “ the Baron sent for him to 
write his will. He told father he was going 
to give his castle and all his property to Herr 
von Seerhausen, the nephew of the Baroness, 
and father is to be one of the witnesses of the 
will.” 

“Oh! I think that is too bad,” said Tobias, 
“ grandfather says that the Frau Baroness 
was just, and were she living would not think 
it right that Lieutenant Carl should not 
have it.” 

“But she is not living, and the castle is the 
Baron’s and he can leave it to whom he pleases. 
And my father is glad of it, he don’t hke Baron 
Carl, who made him give an account of every 
penny when he was here and had charge of the 
estate, and the overseer don’t like him either.” 

“You appear to know all about it,” remarked 
Tobias, drily, “ does your father tell you all his 
business? ” 

“ Oh 1 I know far more than I have told you ; 
yes, indeed, it is not much that I don’t know 
about it, and about other things, too.” 

“Do you know anything of the great boulders 
which lie under the beech trees?” 

“ What is there to know about them ? Eocks 
are rocks, and that is aU that can be said about 
them.” 


A Division of the Spoils. 


39 


“ Grandfather has told me a great deal about 
them, and will tell it all to you and the others 
sometime, but, indeed, we must go, Albert.” 

They went to the school-room, where the 
delinquent received a merited rebuke from Herr 
Beck, which he listened to sullenly, then took 
his place in the class, and at noon went home 
to his dinner. 

All through the afternoon the words of Albert 
came into the mind of Tobias, and while he and 
his grandfather were eating their supper he was 
strongly tempted to tell him, but he had been 
trained to forbear from casting shadows when 
it was possible to avoid it, so refrained, yet 
could not help a feeling of anxiety when a 
messenger came from the castle to summon 
Herr Beck. 

*‘I am afraid the Baron has sent for him to 
tell him that he is intending to put a younger 
man in his place,” thought the boy, as he saw 
his grandfather take his cane and depart ; “ oh, it 
would break his heart, for he loves his scholars, 
and there is really nothing else he can do.” 

The first glance which Tobias cast upon his 
grandfather’s face proved that his fears were 
reahzed ; it was very pale, and tears dimmed his 
kind eyes. 

‘'Are you to leave the school, grandfather? ’* 
questioned he. • 


40 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

‘‘Yes, I always knew that the Baron von 
Eaundorf was sour-tempered, but did not 
believe he was so hard-hearted. His main 
reason for sending for me this evening was that 
I might be one of the witnesses to his will, 
which Advocate Eiemer had just written and 
read aloud to us, giving the castle and all the 
rest of his property to Herr von Seerhausen.” 

“Who were the other witnesses, grandfather? ” 

“ The steward, the overseer, and the gardener ; 
and after we had signed our names, and Schei- 
nert, the others and the advocate had left 
the room, the Baron told me that he no longer 
needed my services as school-teacher upon his 
estate, that I was too old and deaf to teach 
school.” 

“Albert told me all about it, grandfather ; he 
said that you would have to herd geese, or be 
a night watchman in Eaundorf.” 

“And you did not prepare me for it, Tobias,” 
commented the old man. 

“No, grandfather, I thought that it would be 
better for you not to know it ; and, besides, I 
did not know but that Albert had only told me 
because he was angry that you sent for him, 
and that there was no truth in it.” 

“But you see that it was true; and I can 
scarcely realize that I am about to lose the 
position I have held for so many years; but 


A Division of the Spoils. 41 

God’s will be done ; he knows what is best for 
me, and will not let us suffer for bread.” 

Some days elapsed, and one morning the 
Baron von Baundorf mounted a favorite horse 
to ride through his beech forest. The deep 
stillness was oppressive, for the Baron was far 
from happy, and his thoughts were not upon 
the beauty which surrounded him. Wild flow- 
ers bloomed at his feet unnoticed, and the 
tinkling of the brook near at hand was un- 
heeded. 

“It is a dismal place,” thought he; “1 wish 
that I had taken my steward’s advice, and had 
it thinned out ; the timber would have brought 
me a large sum of money; no. doubt Seerhausen 
will hew and hack when I am done with it and 
he comes into possession.” 

His meditations were interrupted by the 
roUing of wheels over the bridge. His horse, 
young and spirited, frisked and reared at the 
sound, and then shied suddenly, throwing the 
Baron to the ground. To a younger man the 
accident might have proved serious, but to one 
numbering nearly fourscore it proved fatal ; 
and when his groom dismounted and came to 
his assistance he found the Baron unconscious. 

There was great excitement in the village of 
Baundorf when the groom reached there and 
told the story ; and while four strong men bore 


42 Chriatiaii Beck's Grandson, 

the body upon a litter to the castle, another 
went for the physician, who was in attendance 
at a distant farmhouse, with the hope that 
something might be done for the unfortunate 
man. 

“Oh!” sighed Herr Beck to Tobias, “how 
uncertain is life! but an hour ago in the flush 
of health, and now, it may be, a senseless 
corpse! May God be more merciful to him 
than he was to poor Lieutenant Carl, and for- 
give him his trespasses if it be that he has 
gone to his account! But we will hope that 
he can be restored to life and reason.” 

But very few believed that he would ever 
speak again, and for several hours it was 
scarcely possible to decide ; but at length he 
regained consciousness. In the meantime 
Scheinert had hurried off to acquaint Herr von 
Seerhausen with the accident, that he might be 
ready to take possession at any moment. 

“I wish to see my nephew, Carl von Eaun- 
dorf,” were the Baron’s first words ; “ bring 
him to me as quickly as possible.” 

The good pastor, who was seated beside the 
Baron, was filled with joy on hearing this, and 
immediately dispatched a messenger for Lieu- 
tenant Carl ; then he returned to the sick-room. 

“Oh, dear friend, I have done so wrong in 
regard to the poor boy, and I fear that I will 


43 


A Division of the Spoils. 

not live to see him and to ask his forgiveness 
for my cruel treatment. I have, in my foohsh 
anger, left all my property to Seerhausen, who 
has not the least right to it, and now it is too 
late to remedy it ; I shall not hve until morn- 
ing.” 

“No, it is never too late to do good so long 
as life lasts!” exclaimed the pastor, eagerly. 
“ Send for Riemer, and make your wishes 
known to him. I am obliged to return to the 
village now; if you will give me leave, I will 
immediately send a messenger to Berhn for 
him.” 

“Do so, dear friend, and pray God that it 
may not be too late.” 

In the meantime the news had spread that 
the Baron had sent for Lieutenant Carl, and 
none rejoiced more than the old schoolmaster. 

“ Our heavenly Father doeth all things well, 
Tobias,” said he ; “ nothing is hidden from his 
sight, and he can bring good out of evil. We 
can only pray that Baron Carl may reach there 
in time to receive his uncle’s blessing.” 

Weary with the excitement of the day, 
Schoolmaster Beck and Tobias retired early, 
and the next morning, when Herr Beck was 
opening the shutters, a servant from the castle 
halted, on his way to the village, to say that 
the Baron had sent for the Herr Advocate, 


44 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

who had come, and, it was whispered among 
the servants, had made another will, and that 
it was in favor of Lieutenant Carl ; and that 
the advocate was to remain there until the 
Baron gave him leave to go. 

“ God has mercifully prolonged his life until 
justice should be done,” said Herr Beck to 
Tobias, as the servant kept on his way ; now, 
if, in his mercy, he should keep him alive until 
Baron Carl can reach there, we would have 
nothing more to ask ; but it is fully twenty miles 
to his home, and the journey must be made by 
carriage or on horseback. Well, well, God will 
care for his own.” 

Scarcely had the two finished their breakfast 
of coffee and dry semmels, when there came a 
message for Herr Beck to go to the castle, and 
to bring Pastor Seeback with him. No time 
was lost, and in a very short time the two were 
standing at the bedside of the dying man, a 
repentant sinner needing God’s mercy. 

“I cannot hope for forgiveness unless I for- 
give,” said the Baron, feebly; “if I do not live 
to see Carl, tell him that I bitterly repent of 
all my mistakes and misdoings, and amongst 
them that of my cruelty in not listening to his 
pleadings. I humbly pray that God will for- 
give me as I have forgiven Carl and all who, I 
thought, had offended me.” 


46 


A Division of the Spoils. 

At that moment the door opened and Lieu- 
tenant Carl quickly entered, sank upon his 
knees by the bedside and pressed his lips upon 
the hand of his uncle. 

The face of the old Baron lighted with joy, 
and his lips moved as if in words of blessing, 
but he was past the power of speech. 

“My father, my more than father, must you 
leave us ? ” said Carl, with tears of sincere grief. 

The eyes of the dying man looked heaven- 
ward, as though he, too, had asked forgiveness, 
and his prayer had been granted, then with a 
sigh of content he passed from earth. 

The moment the breath left the body, the 
advocate hurried from the room, and made his 
way to the dwelling of the steward. 

“The king is dead, long live the king! 
Scheinert, you have another master,” said he. 

“ Yes, and sorry am I for it. It is a disas- 
trous thing for me that the Baron made another 
will last night.” 

“Why, man, I thought you would be re- 
joiced,” exclaimed Kiemer, in surprise. 

“No, I never liked Baron Carl, and was well 
pleased that von Seerhausen was chosen heir.” 

“ But you are not acquainted with von Seer- 
hausen, and don’t know what kind of employer 
he would make ; you do know Lieutenant Carl.” 

“Yes, too well, his uncle let him manage the 


46 


Christian Beck's Grandson. 


funds of the estate, and he called me to account 
for every bushel of grain sold off the place, and 
every animal, if but a chicken. The overseer 
of the farm people don’t like him either, and 
the Lieutenant is no friend to you.” 

“No friend to me ! What can he have against 
me?” 

“I don’t know, but I am sure of this, that you 
would not have been here to write the will had 
Lieutenant Carl been consulted; and you will 
find that you who have always been the old 
Baron’s advocate, and the gardener, the over- 
seer and myself who witnessed it, will be dis- 
charged as soon as Lieutenant Carl takes 
possession.” 

“You astonish me!” said the lawyer, “I 
thought you would be fixtures here if he took 
possession, and might be displaced if von Seer- 
hausen was owner, agreeably to the first will.” 

“Herr Advocate,” said the steward, lowering 
his voice, “why could not this last will be kept 
secret, and let von Seerhausen become owner 
as was first intended?” 

Riemer looked at him in mute surprise, too 
bewildered for the moment to speak. 

“Could you not have the report spread that 
the old Baron, owing to his fall, was not in his 
right mind and was not fit to make a will when 
the last one was made? ” 


47 


A Division of the Spoils. 

“But the doctor will testify, if it comes to 
trial, that he was perfectly competent.” 

“Well, then, can’t you take the matter in 
your own hands, and say that you destroyed 
the paper by mistake, or at the request of the 
old Baron, who regretted that he had made it?” 

“ But the witnesses know the contents of the 
last will, and that would stand in law.” 

“ No, they do not know ; the old Baron did 
not tell them as he did in case of the first will, 
neither did he tell you to read it aloud.” 

“ That alters the case somewhat, but for what 
purpose then do they think the Baron sent for 
me in such haste and at night ? ” 

“ I told them that he wished to add a codicil 
to his will ; several little bequests which he had 
neglected to mention.” 

“What advantage would it be to let the 
first will stand, except to Herr von Seerhau- 
sen?” 

“ It would keep Lieutenant Carl from the 
ownership of the estate, and thus make our 
places here secure.” 

“But Herr von Seerhausen might make a 
change also; no doubt he will have his own 
people to take your places here.” 

“ Not if he knows the service we have done 
him ; he will be glad to keep it for his own 
security. I went to See him the very hour the 


48 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

Baron was thrown from his horse, told him of 
the will in his favor, and asked him to keep me 
in his service.” 

“What kind of a man is this von Seer- 
hausen ? ” questioned the lawyer. 

“ I don’t 'know him very well, but I know 
he is very jealous of Baron Carl, and would 
pay us well to destroy the second will.” 

Much more conversation followed, and then 
the lawyer promised to aid in the deception. 
The gardener and overseer were called, and 
all bound themselves by a solemn promise to 
keep the secret of the second will. 

“Now, you all understand,” said the advo- 
cate, “we are only to keep quiet in regard 
to the second will, and Herr von Seerhausen 
will be heir to all that the old Baron pos- 
sessed.” 

“ But, first, we must see Herr von Seerhausen, 
and ask what he will give for our silence,” 
suggested the overseer. 

“ No, let me advise here,” said the advocate, 
“say nothing to him till he takes possession; 
then, rather than give it up, he will give what 
we demand; and, in the first place, we will 
demand the nine thousand dollars which, in 
the last will, the old Baron requested should 
be equally divided between the church, the 
school, the pastor, and Schoolmaster Beck. 


49 


A Division of the Spoils. 

Tliis sum we will divide equally between you 
three witnesses and myself.” 

‘‘ I think it should be divided into six equal 
parts, of which the Herr Advocate should have 
two parts, and I two, because we planned the 
whole affair,” said the steward. 

“ No, all come in equal, or I will have nothing 
to do with it,” said the overseer, doggedly. 

“ Nor I,” quoth the gardener, and so the con- 
ference ended with the unanimous agreement 
that all should have an equal share of the nine 
thousand dollars. 


4 


CHAPTEK V. 

TEE FIRST AND SECOND WILL. 

B AKON von Eaundorf was placed in the old 
church-yard of Eaundorf, and Carl was 
the only mourner. 

Herr von Seerhausen was there, and as soon 
as the funeral was over he returned immediately 
to the castle, while Carl remained talking to the 
friends and neighbors he had known from child- 
hood, and who were dismayed beyond measure 
that he had been supplanted by a stranger. 

“ Dear Herr Carl,” said Schoolmaster Beck, 
with tears in his eyes, “don’t you intend taking 
measures to prove that the estate by right is 
yours ? The whole village and country round 
believes that the Baron changed his mind, and 
sent for Advocate Eiemer, who wrote another 
will which gave the property to you. He would 
not have sent for you in such haste, nor been 
so anxious to see you, if he had not intended 
leaving all to you.” 

“ Don’t be distressed about it, dear friend,” 
said Carl, “ God will see that justice is done ; I 
am deeply grateful to him for allowing me to 
see my uncle, and obtaining his forgiveness and 
50 


The First and Second Wills. 51 

blessing, and now I must return to my borne ; 
farewell good Beck and friends and neighbors, 
and do not forget me.” 

The new owner, Herr von Seerhausen, was a 
tall thin man, with a stern cast of countenance, 
and a hook nose and piercing eyes which gave 
him the appearance of a bird of prey. His son, 
Bruno, was a young man of twenty years, re- 
served and silent in manner, and very dissi- 
pated, being much of his time under the 
influence of beer. His father did not take any 
pleasure in his society, and he was not con- 
sulted in regard to the estate in any way. The 
father went alone over the fertile fields, the 
splendid forests, and viewed the choice stock of 
all kinds kept upon it. He visited the stables, 
the cow and sheep stalls, the poultry yards, the 
milk rooms ; questioned the maids in regard to 
their duties and their hours of work, found 
fault with some of the rules of their former 
employer, and made it understood that they 
should not have the easy times that had reigned 
before his coming. The good and abundant 
food which had been upon their tables disap- 
peared as time passed on, and only the plainest 
fare was substituted, the funds saved finding 
place in the owner’s pocket instead of that of 
the steward. 

All the people on the place grieved for the 


52 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

good times when the old Baron was with them, 
who, though whimsical and ill-tempered at times, 
was generous and kind ; but so far they had 
found no good side to Herr von Seerhausen. 

In the meantime the steward, overseer and 
gardener were beginning to think that the Ad- 
vocate Biemer was playing them false, and was 
reaping the reward without giving them their 
share, and had agreed that if he made no re- 
port to them within a given time they would 
break their promise and tell von Seerhausen 
that a will had been made in favor of Lieu- 
tenant Carl. 

On his part, Kiemer besought them to be 
patient. “Don’t pluck the fruit until it is ripe,” 
counseled he. “The more haughty and dis- 
agreeable the new owner is with you now, the 
more humbled will he be when he hears what 
you have to tell him.” 

At length the time came when he considered 
it good policy to let Herr von Seerhausen know 
where he stood ; and for this purpose he drove 
one evening to the castle, and asked to see him. 

“ To what am I indebted for the honor of 
this visit?” inquired the new owner, as the ad- 
vocate greeted him with a smile and a bow. 

“I came,” replied he, “to tell you something 
which will not, I fear, add to your happiness, 
and which you will, perhaps, censure me for 


The First and Second Wills. 


53 


not telling yon before ; bnt it is very much 
against my feelings to bring disagreeable news 
to a friend, therefore I have withheld it as long 
as possible.” 

“Will you oblige me by coming to the point 
without so much twaddle?” questioned von 
Seerhausen, coldly. 

“ The last night that your predecessor, Baron 
von Raundorf, lived, he sent for me to write 
another will. I came, and wrote it. It gives 
aU his property, with the exception of nine 
thousand dollars, to his nephew, Carl von 
Raundorf.” 

The face of Herr von Seerhausen turned very 
pale, and his gaze was fastened upon the advo- 
cate, as though he were unable to comprehend 
the words. 

“Of course,” continued Riemer, “there were 
three witnesses to the will, and it is all execut- 
ed according to law.” 

“And there is another and later will?” com- 
mented von Seerhausen, mechanically, as if 
unconscious that he was speaking. 

“Yes, but it cannot be found. I was quite 
sure that I took it home that night and placed 
it with the former will, but I cannot find it, so 
I must have lost it on my way. I have kept 
silence, hoping that the finder might restore it. 
Of course, I would rather that it were destroy- 


54 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

ed, for no doubt the Baron wished you to be 
his heir, and it was only the fear of death, and 
the weakness of his mind in consequence, that 
made him leave the property to Carl. 

“Yes, I suppose so,” acquiesced the un- 
happy man. 

“Now,” continued Kiemer, “as several weeks 
have passed, and no one has come forward to 
say that the document is found, I have reason 
to feel more at ease ; but the three witnesses to 
the last will are making bitter complaints, and 
have threatened that, if I do not find the will, 
they will inform the authorities of its exist- 
ence, and also Lieutenant Carl.” 

“I really cannot hear any more this even- 
ing,” said von Seerhausen, tremulously; “leave 
me now, Eiemer, and call again in the morning ; 
I must be alone to think it over.” 

“Very good, my dear sir; I will drive over 
in the morning ” ; and, nodding pleasantly, the 
lawyer withdrew. 

Not one minute did the Herr von Seerhausen 
sleep that night, and in the morning he arose 
feverish and miserable, awaiting with restless 
anxiety the arrival of the lawyer. 

He was prompt to the minute, and came in 
with the air of one who had the matter in his 
own hands, and, therefore, was not the least in 
awe of his host. 


The First and Second Wills. 65 

“I scarcely know whether to congratulate 
my good fortune or not,” said he, briskly, “but 
the will is found. It was in the breast-pocket 
of the coat that I wore that night to the castle, 
and that I have not worn since. I have brought 
it to you for inspection.” 

Herr von Seerhausen trembled so much that 
he was forced to take a seat as he reached out 
his hand for the paper, and tried to read it; 
but the words danced before his eyes hke 
motes in a sunbeam. 

“Is it all according to law?” questioned he; 
“no flaw, no defect, which may leave it an open 
question whether he is heir or not?” 

“Not the least,” replied Kiemer, “while the 
one that made you heir has one defect, one of 
the witnesses — old Beck, the schoolmaster — 
being as deaf as a post. If you don’t believe 
that the will is correct, show it to any other 
lawyer; I will give you perfect freedom to do 
so.” 

“ Oh, no ; I am satisfied that you are telling 
me the truth.” 

“That paltry piece of paper,” continued Rie- 
mer, “is the bar between you and a splendid 
estate. Were it not for that, you, and your son 
after you, would possess riches and high posi- 
tion.” 

“Why do you torture me in this way? Do 


56 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

you not see that I cannot grasp the situation, 
nor know what course to take to secure the 
estate ? ” 

Oh ! if the tempted man had but listened to 
the pleadings of his own conscience, that be- 
sought him to give up the property to its right- 
ful owner, how plain would have been his path, 
how happy would he have been in the know- 
ledge that he had pleased God by putting far 
from him the evil one, who was tempting him ! 

“I would far rather see you in possession of 
this great estate than Lieutenant Carl,” replied 
the evil one, speaking through the advocate, 
“for in your hands I am sure it would double 
in value. No doubt the old Baron thought of 
that when he bequeathed it to you.” 

“You are my evil genius!” cried von Seer- 
hausen, almost beside himself with his great 
struggle with his conscience. ‘‘Why did you 
not tell me this weeks ago, before I grew at- 
tached to the place, and while I had power to 
resist the temptation ? ” 

“ I have already told you the reason,” replied 
the attorney, triumphing in secret over his 
shrewdness; 

“What do you advise me to do?” 

“ I don’t know what your wishes are in re- 
gard to it,” replied Kiemer, with apparent in- 
difference. “ There are two courses open to 


The First and Second Wills. 57 

you, either give the castle and all the other 
possessions to the fortunate heir, and return to 

the obscurity from whence you came, or ,** 

here he hesitated and looked down to the floor. 

“ What were you about to say? ” questioned 
von Seerhausen. 

His adviser said nothing, but cast a signifi- 
cant glance at the paper in the hand of his 
companion. 

“ Who are the three witnesses and where do 
they live ? ” asked von Seerhausen. 

“They are upon the estate, and are not 
favorable to Carl. They all appear to have 
elastic consciences, and can, I am sure, be bound 
to silence.” 

There was a long pause, and Kiemer watched 
his companion narrowly. 

“How much do you think the three witnesses 
would demand for their silence?” at length 
asked von Seerhausen. 

“ They told me that would rest entirely upon 
your treatment of them in their demand for pay 
as witnesses.” 

“How much do they ask for their service as 
witnesses? ” 

“Nine thousand dollars.” 

“ Nine — thousand — dollars ! ” cried von Seer- 
hausen, in a startled tone, “have you counseled 
the wretches to demand such a sum? ” 


58 


Christian Beckys Grandson. 


“No, they set that price themselves.” 

“Why did they specify an odd number, why 
not eight or ten, for of course you share in it? ” 

“ They agreed upon nine thousand because 
in the last will, which made Carl the heir, the 
old Baron left that sum to be equally divided 
between the church, the pastor, the school, and 
the schoolmaster. They agreed that if Lieu- 
tenant Carl could spare it out of the estate you 
could do the same.” 

“You say they agreed upon asking such a 
sum, but do you suppose they expect it?” 

“ I am quite sure of it ; they are of the 
opinion that out of this vast estate nine thou- 
sand dollars would no more be missed than a 
drop of water out of a full bucket. You must 
understand that as the case stands you are the 
heir of several hundred thousand.” 

“What can such clods do with so much 
money ? ” 

“They will find ways and times to use it, 
money will not come amiss to them any more 
than to you.” 

“Nine thousand dollars ! ” repeated von Seer- 
hausen, gazing absently at the piece of paper 
which was causing all this trouble, would he 
allow it to stand between him and affluence ? 
Ha! the open grate was glowing with a bright 
wood fire, why not throw it in, and thus destroy 


The First and Second Wills. 


59 


all evidence that any but himself was heir to 
the vast estate.” He cast a searching glance 
at the lawyer who had given the important 
document into his hands, and who was ap- 
parently indifferent to its fate. 

“ Nine thousand dollars ! ” repeated he, as if 
unable to reahze the magnitude of the sum to 
be given away. 

“ If you were to give ten times that sum you 
would still have a greater fortune than you ever 
hoped to possess,” remarked the lawyer. 

“ But if the three witnesses are to give you 
no share of this money, what do you demand 
for your services ? ” 

“ Only your confidence and patronage, dear 
Herr von Seerhausen,” replied the lawyer, as 
though wounded by the question; ‘*yes, dear 
friend, leave me entirely out of the question. I 
have never mentioned to anyone that there 
was a second will, because I had mislaid it, 
and knew my reputation as a careful business 
man would suffer were it known. All I demand 
is, that the nine thousand dollars for the three 
witnesses be placed in my hand before the will 
is given up to you.” 

“Nine thousand 'dollars is a great sum,” said 
von Seerhausen. 

“I will give- you three days to consider the 
matter,” replied Eiemer; “in the meantime 
give me back the will.” 


60 


Christian Beckys Grandson, 


He stretched out his hand for it, but for a 
moment it was withheld, the face of von Seer- 
hausen betraying his inward conflict. 

“You are right,” said he, at length; “I will 
take three days to consider; here is the will, 
and I pray you do not let it go out of your 
hands.” 

“ Oh ! I understand all that ; in three days I 
will call again, and hope you will have made 
up your mind.” 

He left the castle, and von Seerhausen walked 
for hours the long apartment, pondering the 
great change that had come over his prospects. 
He neither ate nor drank the whole day, but 
excited, angry and miserable, wished fervently 
that no such person as Carl von Eaundorf was 
in existence. His conscience was now seared ; 
and no wish to restore the property to its right- 
ful owner crossed his mind. He had been 
tempted of Satan, and had not entreated to be 
delivered from evil to the One whose ear is ever 
open to the suppliant. His only thought now 
was to plan to avoid giving the money to the 
witnesses. 

“ Oh ! if I had only had some hint of the real 
state of affairs when I first came into posses- 
sion of the property,” thought he, “I would 
have sold it, put the money in .my pocket and 
fled to some foreign country. I would have 


The First and Second Wills. 


61 


put the ocean between me and these villains, 
would have outwitted this thieving lawyer and 
his associates. He tries to make me believe 
that he expects no part of that nine thousand, 
but I have heard enough of him to know that 
he never lifts a finger for any one without being 
well paid for it.” 

Filled with inexpressible hate against the 
lawyer and all concerned, and making threats 
against them which he knew could never be 
carried out, the day passed, and the next, and 
the next, then the hour came when he was to 
expect another visit from Eiemer. 

True to his appointment, his carriage rolled 
into the court-yard; promptly his step was 
heard upon the door-sill. 

Without a word von Seerhausen placed a 
check for nine thousand dollars in his hand, 
received in return the will, laid it upon the 
glowing fire, saw it shrivel to a light, gray, 
airy something which the draft carried up the 
chimney, and was seen no more. 


CHAPTEE VI. 

THE NIOHT WA TGHMAN. 

HE last thought of Herr von Seerhausen 



1 at night, and the first in the morning, was 
the loss of his nine thousand dollars ; he con- 
sidered that he had been shamefully robbed of 
it, and all pleasure in the beautiful estate to 
which he had fallen heir was swallowed up in 
regret for it. 

This harassing reflection was not the only 
one that troubled him. He had told the stew- 
ard, the overseer, and the gardener, that their 
services upon the estate could be dispensed 
with, and, as the period which he had set as a 
limit drew on, he saw no evidence that they 
were intending co depart. He concluded to 
hasten matters, so he reminded them that he 
wished to see their places vacant; whereupon 
they replied, insolently, that they were very 
well satisfled where they were, and that they 
did not intend making a change. 

In his first anger he was tempted to order 
them off the place, but it soon came to his 
mind that such a course held elements of dan- 
ger for himself; he feared to anger them, so 


62 


The Night Watchman. 65 

they remained, and were indifferent to his 
vexation. The gardener became intoxicated 
whenever it suited him, and the steward and 
the overseer spent a part of every night at the 
gaming-table in the village, their share of the 
money received from him disappearing like 
dew in the beams of the sun. 

In the meantime Schoolmaster Beck in his 
cottage, one room of which was given up for a 
school-room, was far happier than Herr von 
Seerhausen in his castle ; but one evening he 
came home evidently much troubled. 

“Tobias,” said he, “tell me honestly and 
truly whether you consider me very deaf. 
Speak to me in a lower tone than usual, but 
clearly, that I may know whether I am de- 
ceived in myself. I will shut my eyes, that I 
may not see the motion of your lips, for I wish 
no aid in helping me to hear.” 

Tobias obeyed, and in a clear, but low tone, 
said: “Why are you so troubled, grandfather? 
Who says that you are deaf? Think of Herr 
Schultz and Frau Hannum, who cannot hear 
when it thunders!” 

“I heard every word, Tobias!” cried the old 
man in delight. “I can hear the clear tones; 
of the children when they recite, every word of 
the sermon on the Sabbath, and every tone of 
the organ; yet the Herr von Seerhausen does 


64 Christian deck's Chrandson. 

not believe me, and speaks of discharging me 
from the school, giving my deafness as a rea- 
son. But it will be as God wills. Not a spar- 
row falls to the ground without his knowledge. 
If I must leave this cottage, where we have 
been so happy, I will know that it is his will, 
and I am resigned to whatever follows. When 
I received my discharge as cannoneer, and was 
appointed schoolmaster upon the late Baron’s 
estate, I wept tears of joy, although I knew 
that at times it would require more strength to 
do my duty than the adjusting and firing of 
a four-and-twenty-pounder. Perhaps I have 
served as schoolmaster as long as God sees 
best to have me remain, and he will give me 
some other occupation that will suit me quite 
as well. I have faith that he will allow me to 
earn my living, and with that I am content.” 

“ But, dear grandfather, have you heard any- 
thing lately that makes you think that you will 
lose the place ? ” 

“ Yes, the steward told me to-day that Herr 
von Seerhausen said that I was too old and 
deaf, and that he intended to put a younger 
man in my place ; and, Tobias, he is wilhng to 
get the place of night watchman in Baundorf 
for me ; and he says that if I refuse to accept 
it he will let me look out for myself, for he will 
not make any further effort for me.” 


The Night Watchman. 65 

“But, grandfather, why not ask the Herr 
Pastor about it? He might know of something 
that you could do.” 

“No, it would only trouble him, and pastors 
have so many people coming to them for help 
and advice. It is not worth while for me to try 
to swim against the current, so I will accept 
the place, and try to be satisfied.” 

“How soon will we have to leave here, grand- 
father?” questioned Tobias, looking around at 
the familiar objects. 

“The new schoolmaster is to come the first 
of next week. God grant that he may be a 
faithful teacher to the dear children ! He can- 
not love them more than I have done, though 
they were sometimes hard to manage.” 

“If it were only summer time when you com- 
mence work, it would not be so bad; but the 
nights are growing cool, and I don’t know how 
you can stand the cold winter nights; I am 
afraid that it will be the death of you.” 

“God’s will is mine; and if he says, ‘Beck, 
you are an old soldier, and I expect you to 
obey; the field of battle that I have appointed 
for you is that of night watchman of Raundorf ; 
do your duty,’ I will go without one word of 
complaint.” 

“But it will be very hard to leave this cot- 
tage,” said Tobias. 

5 


66 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

“ Not so hard as it would be in the spring 
or summer. The grass and flowers are wither- 
ing, and we have not carried in our winter fire- 
wood. We will rent a room from some one in 
the village, and you can, no doubt, get httle 
odd jobs to do. I hope that the new school- 
master will allow me still to play the organ in 
church, and that he will let you still ring the 
church-bell.” 

“Oh, I hope so. And, grandfather, what will 
we do with the goose and our three hens?” 

“ I was thinking that we could sell the goose 
and eat the chickens ; we could not keep them 
in our new home.” 

“ Oh, grandfather, let us have one for supper ; 
I will get it ready and cook it, if you will let me.” 

“ Certainly, certainly, Tobias ; and while you 
are getting supper I will walk to the village 
and see if I can get a room. I will stop at the 
bakery and get some fresh brown bread.” 

Both were successful in their endeavors: 
Christian Beck secured a comfortable room at 
a nominal price, and returned in comparatively 
good spirits to the cottage, and Tobias had 
made a rich and palatable stew with the fat 
hen and some potatoes, which both enjoyed as 
only those can to whom it is a luxury, and 
somewhat later than usual retired to their beds 
and slept soundly until morning. 


The Night Watchman, 


67 


The first of the following week came quickly, 
and the new schoolmaster, with his wife and 
two children, moved into the cottage, vacated 
the day before by Christian Beck and Tobias. 

The scholars had wept when their old school- 
master bade them good-bye, but he knew that 
their interests would soon be centred in the 
new teacher, and was glad to know that he was 
worthy. 

‘‘The Father truly tempers the wind to 
the shorn lamb,” said he to Tobias, as they 
walked along, “the anticipation of trouble is 
generally far worse than the reality, and in this 
case we find it so. We will have a comfortable 
home at very little expense, and my pay as 
night watchman will be amply sufficient for our 
needs. Oh ! God is indeed good to us ! ” 

“Grandfather,” said Tobias, “you must let 
me watch with you, this your first night. I 
could not sleep in my bed for thinking of your 
walking about in the night. I must see for 
myself if the place of night watchman is so 
very tiresome as I think it, and maybe I can 
help you in some way. I am nearly as strong as 
you, and can carry the spear; besides, I can 
hear so well that a mouse could not nibble, or 
a grasshopper jump, that I would not know it.” 

“ But I cannot give consent to your losing 
sleep. Young people need more than older 


68 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

ones, you will be much better in bed than on 
your feet with me. All I have to do is to walk 
about and keep my eyes open, and that I will 
certainly do.” 

But Tobias was so earnest in his request that 
his grandfather finally yielded, and when their 
simple supper was over, Herr Beck laid aside 
his suit of black clothes and donned the uni- 
form of watchman of the small town of Raun- 
dorf. A cloak was thrown about his shoulders, 
a sheep-skin cap put upon his gray head, 
woolen gloves upon his hands, and heavy boots 
upon his feet. 

Tobias wrapped a piece of blanket about 
himself, and a few minutes before ten o’clock fol- 
lowed his grandfather upon his round of duty. 
Even at that hour but few lights were to be 
seen in the dwellings, and by eleven the whole 
place was wrapped in darkness, save here and 
there a faint glimmer giving token that illness 
or some other cause had prevented the light 
from being extinguished. 

“ Grandfather,” said the boy, as they walked 
along, “didn’t you say once that there were 
men who could tell how far one star was from 
another? How is it possible for them to know 
this when no one has ever come from 
there ? ” 

“It does seem almost beyond belief, Tobias, 


69 


The Night Watchman, 

but that they can compute the distances we 
cannot doubt. They can tell us how far it is 
to the sun, the moon and the planets, and even 
a year beforehand they can tell when there will 
be an eclipse of the sun or the moon; or, in 
other words, when the moon passes between us 
and the sun, or when the earth passes between 
the sun and the moon.” 

‘‘It is wonderful,” said Tobias. 

“ Yes, wonderful. You know, Tobias, that the 
Berlin post is expected to pass every day 
through our village of Raundorf at an appointed 
hour. But faithful as the driver may be, he 
varies in his time of arriving, sometimes as 
much as fifteen minutes, although Berhn is 
only eight miles from here. But our earth, 
which passes in a wide circle around the sun 
every year, travels more than one hundred and 
twenty millions of miles, yet can always be 
reckoned upon to be on time. Ah, Tobias, the 
one who holds the planets in the hollow of his 
hand is a Master indeed. He is Lord of heaven 
and earth, and our poor feeble minds cannot 
understand the wonders of his creation.” 

“ Some stars are larger than others, and some 
are in clusters.” 

“Yes, astronomers have given names to those 
clusters. That one is the ‘ Great Bear,’ that 
one ‘Orion’s Belt,’ that one ” plump! the 


70 


Christian Beck's Grandson. 


watchman had stumbled and fallen, and lay 
upon the ground covered with dust. 

“Are you hurt, grandfather?” cried Tobias, 
springing to his assistance. 

“No, but what did I fall over? it has stunned 
me, but I am not hurt.” 

“It is a man, grandfather, and he smells of 
beer.” 

“ Poor creature ! poor creature ! ” said Herr 
Beck, “ lying in the road in constant danger of 
being trampled to death by a horse’s hoofs, or 
run over by wagon wheels. Who is it, Tobias ? ” 

“The gardener at the castle,” replied the 
boy, turning the body that the face could be 
seen in the light of the lantern which he turned 
upon him. 

“What can we do with him? ” said the grand- 
father, “it will not do to let him he here, he 
might be kiUed.” 

“It would be no loss to the neighborhood, 
grandfather,” rephed the boy. 

“ Do not say such an inhuman and unchris- 
tian thing, my son, we must love our neighbor 
as ourselves, we must love the sinner though 
not the sin.” 

“We are not far from the inn, grandfather,” 
said Tobias, ashamed of his want of charity, 
“ there is a light there. The innkeeper is the 
one who got his money and made him drunk. 


The Night Watchman. 71 

so should take care of him until he is able to 
walk to the castle.” 

“ Yes, it seems to be the only thing we can 
do,” replied Herr Beck, as he strove to lift the 
prostrate man. He was too much under the 
influence of liquor to stand, but with the help 
of Tobias he was half carried, half dragged to 
the inn. 

Here they found four men seated at a gam- 
ing-table, of whom one was the innkeeper, who 
was so engrossed in the game that he did not 
look up upon the entrance of Christian Beck. 

“The gardener of the castle is outside, Fried- 
bert,” said he, “ I found him in the road, you 
must care for him, for the night is quite cool, and 
he might be run over and killed.” 

“Well, let him be killed,” said the landlord, 
angrily, “go away and let me finish the game.” 

“You have made him incapable of taking 
care of himself, now you must take care of him, 
or answer to God and the authorities of the 
town for your neglect.” 

“ Go out of here, or I will make it a rough 
time for you,” cried Friedbert, angrily. 

“ This is Schoolmaster Beck,” said the steward, 
in a low tone. 

“I don’t care if it is the emperor, he has no 
right to come in here and tell me what I must 
do.” 


72 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

Come away, grandfather,” whispered Tobias, 
anxiously, “he is half drunk and may hurt 
you.” 

Seeing that there was no hope of having him 
taken care of there, they went out, and carried 
the limp figure to an empty stall in the stable, 
covered him with hay and left him, to proceed 
upon their rounds. 

As the clock struck five, the day watchman 
came to relieve them, and at the same moment 
they saw the steward and overseer sneaking 
from the inn, and trying to avoid the gaze of 
the few who were astir at that hour in the 
morning. The steward had a black eye, given 
him by the fist of the landlord, and miserable 
in mind and body they were returning to the 
castle totally unfit for the duties of the day. 


CEAPTEK VII. 

TOBIAS GOES ON A JOURNEY. 

I T was ten o’clock that morning and the 
steward had not made his appearance at 
the castle, and, irritated over the delay, Herr 
von Seerhausen went to his dwelling. 

“ Where is Scheinert ? ” inquired he of the 
woman who came to the door. 

“ He is not up yet.” 

“ Not up ? Does he know that it is past ten 
o’clock ? Where is his sleeping-room ? ” 

The woman pointed to a door near by, and 
von Seerhausen stepped quickly in. 

“Ha! you worthless creature, is this the way 
you are attending to my affairs ? You can stay 
in bed now as long as you choose, for you are 
no longer in my employ, and must leave the 
place to-day.” 

Though taken by surprise, the steward was 
equal to the occasion, and rising upon his 
elbow he looked at the angry owner with a 
malicious smile. 

“ Oh, I shall not be in the least hurry to 
leave, there is plenty of time, and I shall not 
73 


74 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

go until it suits me ; ” and he turned his face to 
the wall as if to take another nap. 

Slash! the riding whip of the exasperated 
von Seerhausen came sharply down upon the 
face of the steward, and then he turned quickly 
and left the room and the house, and hurried 
back to the castle, locked himself in his room 
and refused admittance even to Bruno, his son. 
He comforted himself with the thought that he 
had treated the steward as he deserved, yet 
could not help feeling anxious as to the re- 
sult. 

It was after nine o’clock in the evening when 
there came a sharp ring at the door-bell, and 
Advocate Kiemer from Berlin was announced. 

‘‘I have been passing the day upon a neigh- 
boring estate, and thought I would not go by 
without calling to pay my respects to Herr von 
Seerhausen,” said he to the servant who ad- 
mitted him, but to the master his reason for 
coming was vastly different. 

“Are you bringing me some more disagree- 
able news, Biemer?” inquired von Seerhausen, 
stopping in his hurried walk up and down the 
apartment to greet him. “ I have seen no one 
to-day, and would not have allowed you to be 
admitted, only that I thought you might have 
some information that it might be necessary 
for me to know.” 


75 


Tobias Goes on a Journey, 

“It is a necessity, but this time the import- 
ance rests with me,” was the reply. 

“With you ? Of what interest is that tome ? ” 

“You see before you a ruined man, Herr \on 
Seerhausen — one who has no means to escape 
his creditors and arrest. I would fly to a for- 
eign country if I had the means, but it would 
require much more than I could possibly raise. 
In a word, I have come to you for assistance.” 

“To leave the country?” 

“To leave the country, and before the rising 
of another sun.” 

“ I will assist you if you will take those other 
rascals with you ; I mean the steward, the gar- 
dener, and the overseer.” 

“Thank you for the implied compliment; I 
will take them if they will go.” 

“ How much do you demand for all four to 

go?” 

“ I don’t know what their demand may be, 
but I, who have helped you get these vast pos- 
sessions, should have more than they, whose 
only trouble was to sign their names.” 

“What is your demand?” questioned von 
Seerhausen, sharply. “Come to the point if 
you can.” 

“ If you give me what all of the other three 
demand I shall be satisfied. If they each de- 
mand three thousand dollars to leave Germany 


76 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


and never to trouble you again, I should have 
three times what each man gets, which would 
be nine thousand.” 

“Do you expect that as a gift, or as a loan?” 

“You can call it what you please, so that I 
get the money.” 

“ But suppose I refuse? ” remarked von Seer- 
hausen, looking sharply into the face of the 
lawyer. 

“Well, then,” replied the other, calmly, “I 
will produce the will which leaves all this 
splendid property to Carl von Raundorf, and 
I will have the pleasure of seeing vou in the 
penitentiary.” 

“Bah! This is only childish babble. You 
seem to have forgotten that we both saw the 
flames shrivel up the will, and saw the strong 
draught carry it up the chimney.” 

“It is you who are indulging in childish 
babble, my dear sir, and I must take this op- 
portunity to correct you. A competent advo- 
cate understands his business too well to give 
a will which gives the property to one man 
into the hands of another who wishes to be 
heir. It was only a worthless piece of paper 
that was burned; in other words, only a copy 
of the will. The original document is safe and 
secure in the place where all of my valuable 
papers are kept.” 


77 


Tobias Goes on a Journey, 

Herr von Seerhansen was for a moment 
speechless with surprise and indignation; his 
very lips grew pale in his endeavor to master 
his emotion. 

“ I cannot imagine why I did not suspect that 
you were deceiving me,” said he, at length; 
“only the agitation of my mind in regard to 
there being another will must have kept the 
thought from my mind. You have me in your 
power, and I must pay the money or suffer the 
consequences. I shall have to mortgage the 
estate to raise the money.” 

“Of course, but there will be no difficulty 
about that. I have a friend who has twenty 
thousand dollars to lend on a first mortgage, 
and nothing could he consider more secure 
than the Kaundorf estate. I have made all 
arrangements with him and drawn up the 
papers, feeling quite sure you could be brought 
to terms. They only await your signature and 
that of the witnesses, and if you will oblige me 
by going with me to Berlin this evening all can 
be settled. I shall have the money and be off 
to Australia.” 

“ But the steward, overseer, and gardener, I 
have discharged them from my service, and 
they must leave to-morrow; they must go to 
Australia with you.” 

“ They wiU go, I am sure ; in truth, the steward 


78 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

and overseer have promised, and there will be 
no trouble about the gardener.” 

I shall be a different man when you are all 
out of the country,” remarked his host. 

“ Thank you for another compliment, and 
now I will go to see the steward while you make 
yourself ready to accompany me to Berlin.” 

“ But will they not go with you to Berlin in 
order to leave with you for Australia? ” 

“There is not so much haste for them as for 
me ; they can follow later ; the bargain being 
between you and them : no money given with- 
out a solemn promise to leave the country. I 
shall tell Scheinert to-night of the plan, he 
being the most intelligent of the three, and he 
can tell the others.” 

“ Do so, it will relieve me of much embarrass- 
ment, and they will have had time to be pre- 
pared for removal.” 

The lawyer hurried away, and von Seer- 
hausen made ready to go, his plan being to go 
to Berlin in Riemer’s carriage and return by 
the Berlin j^ost-chaise which passed through 
Raundorf at two o’clock in the morning, and 
walking from thence to the castle, thus avoiding 
the gossip of the servants, which would be the 
result were the coachman kept out at that un- 
seasonable hour. 

All turned out as they planned, the mortgage 


79 


Tobias Goes on a Journey. 

was given, the money paid over, nine thousand 
dollars going into the pocket of Eiemer, then 
the Herr von Seerhausen set out in the post- 
chaise for Kaundorf, reached there safely, and 
set out on his walk to the castle ; in the breast- 
pocket of his coat was the will which Kiemer 
had delivered into his hands. 

“ I am glad that old Beck is night watchman,” 
thought he, as he left the village, and passed 
the cottage a few hundred yards from it, which 
had been the home of the old schoolmaster, “ he 
is so deaf that he will not hear my footsteps even 
at this quiet time of night.” 

In the meantime Christian Beck was walking 
his rounds, attending faithfully to his duties as 
guardian to the sleeping village and its envi- 
rons, when he was surprised by a visit from 
Tobias, whom he thought in bed and asleep. 

“ Grandfather,” said he, ‘‘ I was awakened 
by hearing some one calling; listen, grand- 
father, we can hear it from here.” 

The old man bent his head, put his hand 
behind his ear, and listened. 

“ I hear nothing, Tobias, you must have 
been dreaming.” 

“ There it is again, grandfather, some one is 
moaning as though in pain.” 

“ AVhere does the sound come from, Tobias? ” 

“From the strip of woodland between us 


80 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

and the castle. Let us go, grandfather, I 
know some one needs help.” 

‘‘No doubt the gardener has been reeling 
home from the village, and has fallen; run, 
Tobias, and I will follow as quickly as I 
can. 

The boy sped away, and in a few seconds 
returned and met Herr Beck. 

“ Grandfather,” said he, “ a man has fallen 
over a stump in the beech woods and is nearly 
dead. I believe it is Herr von Seerhausen.” 

“ Oh, no, Tobias! it cannot be. What would 
he be doing there at this time of night ? ” 

They both hurried to the place, and Chris- 
tian Beck turned the light of the lantern upon 
the face of the prostrate man. 

“ It is Herr von Seerhausen,” said he, in a 
subdued tone of sorrow, “ and he is badly 
hurt.” 

The wounded man opened his eyes, fixed 
them upon Christian Beck, then, with the last 
effort of his waning strength, took a paper 
from his pocket and put it in the hand of the 
old night watchman. 

Thinking it might be some request which he 
could grant for the dying man, Beck opened 
it, and by the light of his lantern found it to be 
the will, which he had signed, bequeathing the 
estate to Lieutenant von Kaundorf. When he 


Tobias Goes on a Journey. 81 

looked up he saw that Herr von Seerhausen 
was no longer of earth. 

“Tobias,” said he, in a trembling voice, “our 
God has in the darkness of the night brought 
justice to our dear young Baron, by removing 
the man who robbed him of his inheritance. 
May he have mercy upon the poor sinner, 
whose last effort on earth was to do justice by 
giving up the will. The way of the transgres- 
sor is hard, Tobias ; I don’t suppose he had 
any pleasure in the home which he knew did 
not rightfully belong to him; and may the 
Almighty One, who knows all things, and can 
do all things, pardon him.” 

“But what are we to do, grandfather, we 
cannot leave him here? ” 

“No, take the horn, Tobias, and blow some 
good blasts upon it; the day watchman and 
perhaps some others who hear it may come to 
our assistance ; then run to the castle and tell 
them to have it open to receive the body.” 

Tobias did as he was told, and Christian 
Beck remained beside the late master of the 
castle, who had been no friend to him, yet all 
was forgotten in. the presence of death. It was 
a solemn time to the old night watchman, with 
no sound except the night wind in the top- 
most branches of the beech trees, and the bark 
of dogs at distant farm-houses. 


82 Christian Beck's Grandson* 

“How suddenly and unexpectedly lie lias 
been called out of life,” thought Herr Beck, 
“while I have been expecting my summons for 
many a day, and would be glad to go if Tobias 
were only a little older, that he might take 
care of himself. But for even that God will 
provide, though my weak old heart clings to 
the boy. But I am getting chilled sitting here, 
and my head feels strangely confused. The 
shock of this accident and my hurried walk 
have been too much for me. I must stir about 
and try to keep warm, although I am very tired. 
I am like an old race-horse that has grown stiff 
from having been out of the field so long.” 

Lights were seen coming from the direction 
of the village, then came the welcome sound of 
voices, and several men appeared, carrying a 
litter, upon which the body was placed and 
carried to the castle. 

The day watchman came at five o’clock to 
relieve Christian Beck, and when he reached 
his room he found Tobias, who had just come 
from the castle. 

“My boy, we see the hand of God very 
plainly in this visitation,” said he. “As I told 
you the first night that I was watchman, the 
sun, moon, and stars have their prescribed 
course, and keep within it, as God designed. 
But man, as a rational being, is given his free 


Tobias Goes on a Journey. 83 

will, with the knowledge of good and evil, and 
a conscience which will keep him in the path 
of right, if he will but obey its voice, and keep 
himself unspotted from the world. But over 
all God reigns, though at times we seem to for- 
get it. That he has made himself known in 
this matter is very evident. The last act of 
Herr von Seerhausen proved that he saw God’s 
hand in his just punishment, and that he ac- 
knowledged it by trying to make restitution by 
giving up the will.” 

“What will we do with it, grandfather?” 

“I wish you to mention to no one that we 
have it, except to the young Baron Carl. I 
would go myself to tell him and to place it in 
his hands, but I cannot w^alk so far, and I am 
not able to hire a conveyance. But you, To- 
bias, I know, are able and willing to walk to 
his home, and you can go to-day. We will 
have our breakfast, after which you must sleep 
three hours; then you can go.” 

“ O grandfather, I don’t need a wink of 
sleep,” cried Tobias, eagerly; “let me go as 
soon as I eat my breakfast.” 

“No, you must have sleep. I will not lie 
down until I see you off, and you can easily 
reach there by evening. You can have a good 
night’s rest there, and take your time to-mor- 
row to walk back.” 


84 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

They soon had their coffee and rolls upon 
the table, and enjoyed their breakfast after 
their long fast. 

“ I will spring like a deer on this errand,” 
said Tobias, jubilantly. “Dear Herr Baron 
Carl will be master at the castle, and you will 
again be schoolmaster, when you will not have 
to walk all night, but can sit when you 
please.” 

“Put that hope out of your mind, Tobias,” 
said his grandfather, quietly, “the new school- 
master is settled there, and gives satisfaction. 
He has a wife and little children depending 
upon him, and it would not be right for me to 
expect the place. I have begun to think that 
I am too old and deaf for the position.” 

“ Do you think you will be a watchman all 
the time, grandfather ? ” 

“ That will be as God wills. Now go to bed, 
my boy, I will wake you in good time.” 

Although believing that he did not need 
sleep, Tobias had scarcely touched the pillow 
before his regular breathing told that he was 
in the land of dreams, and Herr Beck sat by 
his little stove communing over the changes 
which twenty-four hours had brought forth. 

When the three hours were up he wakened 
Tobias, and gave him a bowl of warm bread 
and milk which he had prepared for him, and 


Tobias Goes on a Journey. 85 

then the traveler was ready to start upon his 
journey. 

“Here are two groschens, my boy, to buy 
some refreshment on the way,” said his grand- 
father, putting the money in his hand, “ and 
here is the will, let me pin it to the lining of 
your vest pocket. Give it into no hand but 
that of Herr Carl, and may God bless your 
errand by bringing you safely home.” 


CHAPTEK YIII. 

TOBIAS SEES THE PASTOR. 

HEEE is no truer proverb than “We know 



1 not what a day may bring forth,” and 
Bruno von Seerhausen, who had never been 
consulted upon any subject relating to the es- 
tate, was now, so far as he and his tenants 
knew, master of all those vast possessions. 
“The king is dead! long live the king!” was 
again exemplified, and hats were doffed and 
greetings were obsequious as he appeared 
among them for the first two days succeeding 
his father’s death; and, though having a natu- 
ral regret for his loss, he felt dazzled and be- 
wildered by the sudden change from obscurity 
to prominence. 

In the meantime the day in which Tobias 
had departed had passed slowly to Christian 
Beck. He missed the boy; was restless and 
excited, and, though exhausted from his night’s 
walking, felt no inclination to sleep. His day’s 
rest, however, refreshed him, and at ten o’clock 
he went to his night’s duties. 

The next day he was comforted with the 
thought that he should see Tobias in the even- 


86 


Tobias Sees the Pastor, 


87 


ing ; so, after taking his simple morning meal, 
he went to bed, and slept most of the day; 
but as night drew on, and Tobias had not ap- 
peared, he grew miserably anxious. 

‘‘If anything has happened to my Tobias, I 
shall wish for my rest in the grave beside his 
mother and grandmother,” thought he. “Oh! 
how I depend upon that boy! and yet I know 
that he cannot be always with me. He must 
soon learn a trade, and wiU have to leave me ; 
then I shall be wholly alone. No, not alone; 
my Saviour will comfort me in some way; he 
always does.” 

It was ten o’clock, time for Christian Beck 
to relieve the day watchman, and Tobias was 
still absent. The night seemed very long to 
him, and at five o’clock in the morning he hur- 
ried to his room, hoping to find the boy sound 
asleep after his long walk; but the bed was 
empty, and, faint from anxiety and weariness, 
he sat down to consider what to do. 

The voices outside his window conveyed no 
meaning to his ear, until he happened to catch 
the name of Carl von Baundorf, and then he 
became alert to hear more. Yes, the villagers 
were astir with the news that a post-chaise had 
passed through the village, bearing Carl von 
Kaundorf and Tobias to the castle. Christian 
Beck waited to hear no more. Hurriedly he 


88 Ghrisiian Beck's Grandson, 

donned cloak and cap, and, staff in hand, set 
out to see them. 

An hour later the children gathered at the 
school-house, but books seemed to be the least 
of their thoughts. They were standing about 
an object that seemed to appall them, yet they 
could not turn their eyes from it. 

“What is it? Why do you not come into 
school?” questioned the schoolmaster from the 
window. 

Only the nodding of heads and the pointing 
of fingers to some object gave reply, and the 
schoolmaster took his hat from the peg and 
went out. Leaning against the end of the 
school-room was a man in the uniform of a 
watchman, his staff planted firmly in the soft 
earth by the crossed hands resting upon it, his 
sheepskin cap on the ground beside him, his 
thin white hair stirring in the morning breeze, 
and his eyes raised to heaven. 

“He is dead! ” said the schoolmaster, touch- 
ing the crossed hands. 

The boys nodded, and looked on, with cu- 
rious, but tear-dimmed eyes. 

At that moment Tobias came running through 
the beech forest, on his way from the castle to 
his home, and seeing the boys gathered about 
some object he halted to see what it was. 

“ Oh, it is grandfather 1 ” cried he, in a 


Tobias Sees the Pastor. 89 

shocked voice, as the tears rained from his 
eyes. 

‘‘ Don’t grieve so, my son,” said the school- 
master, “he has only gone home; he is at 
rest.” 

“Oh! I know it,” cried poor Tobias,” but I 
fear he was anxious because I did not come 
last night. I intended to, but the Herr Baron 
said it would save me a long walk if I would 
wait and come in the post-chaise with him. 
Then we had breakfast at the castle, and I was 
hurrying home to tell grandfather the good 
news before he went to take his sleep ; O 
grandfather! dear, dear grandfather! ” 

“Here comes the Herr Pastor,” exclaimed 
one of the boys, “he has heard of it, and come, 
as he always does when folks are in trouble.” 

“ No need for tears here, dear children,” said 
he, stepping among them, “only smiles of re- 
joicing for a weary pilgrim safe in his Father’s 
house. As soldier, as hero, as Christian, as 
one who lived to do his duty, such, Tobias, 
was your grandfather. Without fear has he 
for years looked upon death, ready to go at a 
moment’s summons. He was pure of heart; 
he shall see God.” 

“ Grandfather had this cottage and school,” 
said Tobias, weepingly, “ maybe he came here 
when he knew he was going to' die.’ 


90 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

“ That we cannot know,” replied the pastor, 
“but dear friend, continued he, turning to the 
schoolmaster, “would you be willing to allow 
him a place in the school-room until he is 
taken to the grave? ” 

“ I give free and full consent, and will oblige 
in any other way I can.” 

The funeral of Herr von Seerhausen, and 
that of the night watchman, was upon the same 
day, at the same church-yard; and while the 
wealthy proprietors of neighboring estates in 
handsome carriages followed Herr von Seer- 
hausen, only the humble villagers who had 
known Christian Beck gathered about the plain 
casket and followed him to the grave. 

“ See, dear children,” said the kind pastor, 
“ the smile of peace is upon his aged face. He 
was true and faithful to the end, endured the 
crosses and disappointments of life as a Chris- 
tian should, and has gone to his reward. The 
remembrance of him is to us a benediction.” 

The school-children whom he had taught 
followed the casket, bearing flowers to leave 
upon his grave, their clear voices joining in a 
hymn he had loved. Next to them came the 
young Baron von Raundorf and Tobias, and 
when the funeral was over the boy returned to 
the castle, as had been agreed upon, and in the 
young Baron he found protector and friend. 


Tobias Sees the Pastor. 


91 


the amiable Baroness and the children showing 
him every kindness. 

The will, bequeathing the estate to Lieu- 
tenant Carl, was proven, and the witnesses* to 
the former will being out of employment, and 
having squandered their money gained by false- 
hood, left the neighborhood so hastily that 
Scheinert forgot to take his wife and children, 
and the Baron Carl, pitying their poverty, 
allowed them to remain in the cottage. Baron 
Carl paid over the nine thousand dollars which 
his uncle had bequeathed, to the church, the 
pastor, the school and the old schoolmaster, 
Tobias inheriting the share of his grandfather, 
which was invested to the best advantage until 
the boy should come of age. 

The elder von Seerhausen having used all 
his means in trying to secure the estate, there 
was nothing left for the son, who was intemper- 
ate, without occupation, or the ability to earn his 
own support ; and, as an evidence of the forgiv- 
ing spirit of Baron Carl, he was invited to make 
his home at the castle, and apartments in one 
of the wings were given him, handsomely fur- 
nished and comfortable. 

The great desire of Lieutenant Carl upon 
taking possession of his estate was to do his 
duty in every way, and make all about him as 
happy and useful to themselves and others as 


92 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

possible. He considered it as useless to expect 
a good crop of grain from ground that had not 
been cultivated, as to expect ill-used, discon- 
tented work-people to render good service. 

One of his first cares was the school and its 
pupils. “As the twig is bent, the tree is inj 
chned,” was a maxim in which he put much 
faith, so he visited there during school hours, 
and praised the diligent and rebuked the idle. 

He saw that the cottages of his laborers were 
kept comfortable, and, in order to give them 
entertainment during their leisure hours, he had 
a library of attractive books and papers, and 
the newest and most interesting games. He 
provided the best machines for the cultivation 
of his land, that the ‘time and strength of his 
working people might be saved, and they in 
turn were faithful in their several departments. 
Tobias was treated as a son, and was of use to 
liim in many ways. The boy often caught him- 
self wishing that his grandfather had lived until 
Baron Carl had taken possession, for he was 
sure that a home would have been offered him 
at the castle, and then there would have been 
no more night-watching for him. He often 
questioned within himself why God took him 
when there was such a prospect of rest upon 
earth, and resolved to ask the pastor. 

“ Why did God take him ? ” echoed the good 


Tobias Sees the Pastor, 93 

Herr Seeback, when Tobias on his way to 
school the next morning stopped at the gate of 
the parsonage, where the pastor happened to 
be standing. ‘'My son, weak, human beings 
should not question our Creator as to his rea- 
sons. He is good and wise, and knows what 
is best for his children. What would a few 
years of rest, with the infirmities of age upon 
him, be to your grandfather in comparison to 
the glory of heaven in the companionship of 
his loved ones, where we all have the promise 
that we shall be satisfied ? His work on earth 
was finished ; he is at rest, while we who were 
his fellow-pilgrims toil on until it is our Mas- 
ter’s will to grant us release.” 

“But I cannot help grieving that I did not 
come home the day he expected me,” said the 
boy, with tear-dimmed eyes. “ Instead, I en- 
joyed my visit to a new place, and was very 
willing to accept the kind Baron’s invitation 
to stay and ride back in the post-chaise with 
him. I knew I could not get back until after 
poor grandfather had gone on duty, yet I 
stayed, and have been sorry ever since.” 

“ My son, there are but few indeed whom 
death robs of their friends but grieve for what 
they might have done to render them happier 
while on earth. You were a great comfort to 
your grandfather, were dutiful and obedient, 


94 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


and for this mistake should not grieve further 
than to let it make you more thoughtful of the 
living.” 

Much comforted, Tobias kept on his way to 
school, and all who saw him that day noticed 
that he was happier than he had been since 
his grandfather’s death. 

“ I will never forget the dear pastor’s words,” 
thought he, “ and will tell them to all that are 
in trouble, as I have been, that they, too, may 
be comforted. And I will be kind and helpful 
to the living, that I may have nothing to regret 
should I have to part from them.” 


CHAPTEK IX. 

A TERRIBLE FRIGHT. 

EADING from the wing of Eaundorf Castle, 



in which were the apartments of Bruno yon 
Seerhausen, was a covered walk to the garden 
and the beech forest beyond, and was used as 
a play-ground for the children in weather. 

Here Otto could ride his rocking-horse, and 
Lila build play-houses for her dolls, and Tobias 
was watcher and helper when not at school. 
Their joyous shouts and the rolling of their 
balls reached the quiet apartments in the second 
story of the wing, where von Seerhausen passed 
most of his time, and having no liking for chil- 
dren, particularly for the two who had sup- 
planted him in possession of the estate, he was 
angry and revengeful, and set his mind to work 
to plan some way to stop the playing in the 
covered walk. Tobias came in for a share of 
his hatred, for it was through him that the 
young Baron had heard of the will in his favor^ 
and he resolved to make him suffer for it,, 
though in order to carry out his plan success- 
fully, he never mentioned to any one that he 
was annoyed by the noise. 


95 


96 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

One rainy day the children were rolling their 
balls, and their merry shouts when the target 
was knocked down were more plainly heard in 
von Seerhausen’s room than in the walk itself, 
and his anger grew unbearable, while, uncon- 
scious of the fright that was being prepared for 
him, Tobias continued to set up the target, en- 
joying the game as much as did the little ones. 

‘‘Now you take the mallet, and I will set up 
the target,” exclaimed Otto, passing it to Tobias, 
who struck a ball with such force that it rolled 
against the ankle of von Seerhausen, who stopped 
at the open door to watch the game. It was 
light, and could not by any chance have hurt 
him, but he chose to call the accident an in- 
dignity, and resolved to put his plan in execu- 
tion that very evening. But he gave no sign 
of having noticed it, but praised the skill of 
Tobias, the patience of Otto in setting up the 
target so often, and patted Lila’s curly head, 
and kissed her on the forehead. The children 
were charmed to have him a spectator to their 
sports, but Tobias had a vague fear of him, 
and avoided him all he could. 

“He is angry because the ball rolled against 
him,” thought the boy, “he never looked at me 
that way before.” 

That night Tobias went to bed at his usual 
time, his sleeping-place being the ground floor 


97 


A Terrible Fright. 

of the wing, directly under the apartments of 
von Seerhausen, and distant from those of the 
other occupants of the castle. He was just 
dropping asleep when from the covered walk 
he heard a sound between a howl, a whine and 
a growl. It was accompanied by the whirring 
sound of wind among cedar trees, and was 
altogether so weird and unearthly that the boy 
was terribly frightened. He longed to hear the 
footsteps of von Seerhausen overhead, proving 
that he, too, heard the noise, but all was still. 
Fearfully he glanced toward the door which led 
to the covered alley, and to his horror saw it 
slowly open, and a tall figure clothed in white 
glided toward him. In an agony of terror the 
boy covered his head with the bed coverings. 
He lay for a long time fearing to look out, but 
at length, hearing no sound, he ventured to do 
so, and found his strange visitor gone. But he 
slept no more, and when he arose in the morn- 
ing his head ached with excitement and loss of 
sleep. The Baron had gone to Berlin on busi- 
ness, and would not be home for several days, 
and Tobias longed to tell the Baroness and the 
servants, but feared being laughed at for his 
cowardice. 

That night, before going to bed, he locked 
the door leading to the covered walk, and lay 
awake, dreading the return of his visitor. At 
7 


98 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

times lie held his breath and listened, but he 
heard nothing. At length he dropped asleep, 
and was awakened by the same unearthly 
sound of the night before, and, opening his 
eyes, saw, close by his bedside, the tall white 
figure, which ghded through the door that To- 
bias had locked. Almost breathless from ter- 
ror, the poor boy covered his head. When he 
could endure the suspense no longer, he looked 
out, and in fiery letters over the door he read . 
‘‘Death to all noisy boys.” 

Tobias knew nothing of phosphorus, with 
which marks can be made only seen in .the 
dark, and, supposing them to be the work of 
an evil spirit, he lost consciousness. 

He was scarcely able to rise the next morn- 
ing, and his pale face, subdued manner, and 
want of appetite attracted the attention of all; 
but he kept his secret, waiting and hoping to 
hear some other member of the family speak 
of hearing the strange noise, as he could then 
tell them without fear of their laughing at his 
imaginary fears ; but no one mentioned it. He 
was afraid to enter the covered walk, even in 
daytime, and refused to play, though a cousin 
of the children was visiting them, and begged 
him to set up the target for them; and their 
voices at length reached the Baroness. 

“Tobias,” said she, “I think it very selfish 


99 


A Terrible Fright. 

in you not to oblige the children, particularly 
when they have a visitor. - I never knew you 
to act so before.” 

The boy blushed painfully, and hesitated for 
a reply. 

“If the gracious lady will stay here, I will 
play, but I am afraid,” said he. 

“Afraid!” said the Baroness, surprised be- 
yond measure. “What in the world can harm 
you here, with no one but the children? Are 
you ill, Tobias? You certainly do not look 
well.” 

“I am well, but I am afraid to play here; it 
is death to all noisy boys.” 

“Tobias, what do you mean?” said the lady, 
really alarmed. 

“It is written above my door,” said he, point- 
ing to his sleeping-room. 

“There is nothing here,” said she, stepping 
in and glancing up. 

“It was there last night; I saw it as plainly 
as I ever saw anything in my life.” 

“ Oh, don’t be silly, Tobias ; go and play 
with the children, and forget this nonsense,” 
laughed the Baroness, good-naturedly, as she 
turned and went back to her room. She had 
scarcely reached it when she heard a startled 
scream, and, running out, she saw Otto pale 
with terror, and Lila screaming with fright. 


100 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

“What is the matter?” cried she; “who has 
frightened the children ? ” 

No one answered, but Otto pointed to a 
distant corner of the walk close by the open 
door. 

“What is it, Otto? I see nothing,” said the 
mother. 

“The children have seen a ghost, gracious 
lady,” said one of the old servants. “We heard 
strange noises in this walk last night.” 

“A ghost, Peter! What do you mean by 
such foolishness, and before the children?” 

“But there is one in the castle; it came be- 
fore the gracious lady was here ; it kept us all 
from sleeping.” 

“Why have you never mentioned it before?” 

Because we were afraid of frightening you ; 
oesides, it never appears except in the wing, 
and the noises all come from this direction. 
We all heard it last night, and said that Tobias 
must be a sound sleeper not to be disturbed 
by it.” 

Tobias, feeling sure now that he would not 
be laughed at, told his story. 

“I believe that it is the spirit of the old Herr 
von Seerhausen,” said Peter, doggedly. “He 
was unhappy because the estate did not right- 
fully belong to him, so he cannot rest peace- 
fully in his grave.” 


101 


A Terrible Fright. 

“And I know that it is no spirit from the 
other world, for such visitations cannot be,” 
replied the Baroness; “but I do believe that it 
is some wicked human being, who, for some 
evil purpose, is trying to frighten us. We will 
not let the matter rest here ; you will see, when 
the Baron comes home, that there will be no 
more of this nonsense. Ask Herr von Seer- 
hausen to come down ; he must have heard the 
noise.” 

“Herr von Seerhausen is not in his apart- 
ments,” repHed Peter ; “ I saw him go out more 
than an hour ago.” 

“It was ail ugly boo-boo,” sobbed Lila, “a 
black boo-boo.” 

The little one trembled with fear, and crept 
closer to her mother, looking fearfully at the 
distant corner. 

“It is a terribly evil-minded person who 
could frighten any one, much less a child,” 
said the Baroness, indignantly. 

At that moment Herr von Seerhausen came 
in from his walk, and they told him the story. 

“I wish that the ghost would pay me a visit,” 
said he, in his sneering, sarcastic tone ; “ it 
would never repeat the experiment.” 

Little Lila did not recover quickly from the 
fright ; a fever set in, and a physician was sum- 
moned from the village. 


102 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


“Her nerves have suffered a serious shock/* 
said he; “she must be watched very carefully, 
and nothing must be allowed to agitate her, or 
there will be danger of convulsions.” 

Filled with anxiety, the Baroness did not 
leave the bedside during the whole night, but 
watched the little one as only a tender mother 
can. Toward morning the sedatives adminis- 
tered took effect, and Lila slept. Then the 
Baroness went to the library and brought her 
writing-materials, and by six o’clock a messen- 
ger was on his way to Berlin, bearing her letter 
telling the Baron of the whole offair. 

In the distant wing Tobias had heard the 
wailing, moaning, whirring sounds, and had 
seen the tall white figure glide through the 
door which he had not only locked, but bolted. 


CHAPTER X. 

A GOOD RIDDANCE, 

T he next morning Tobias made a resolve, 
and that was, to visit Pastor Seeback and 
tell him the whole story. 

I cannot stay in the castle,” concluded he, 
“I would rather be a watchman and walk all 
night; there is a spirit that haunts the wing 
where I sleep, and I shall die of fright.” 

“A spirit ! What do you mean by a spirit? ” 
“ Peter calls it a ghost.” 

‘‘A ghost! and what, pray, is a ghost? ” 
laughed the pastor, cheerfully. 

“Peter says it is something from the other 
world, and has neither flesh nor bone.” 

“And are you, a great, strong boy, afraid of 
anything that has neither flesh nor bone? ” 
“But it comes through doors which are 
bolted ; and Peter says it is the spirit of Herr 
von Seerhausen that cannot rest because he 
wanted the estate.” 

“ Oh, my dear boy, don’t let the sayings of 
an ignorant old man influence you. There is 
no such thing as a ghost, nor can a spirit, good 
or bad, return from the grave. The souls of 
103 


104 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

those who die in the Lord are too happy to 
wish to trouble the poor creatures of eai’th by 
frightening them, and those who die in their 
sins cannot come. It is generally in the ob- 
scurity of darkness and night that we hear of 
these spirits appearing, and it is generally the 
ignorant and superstitious who imagine they 
see them.” 

“ But Otto and Lila saw the spirit in the 
daytime; and Lila has been sick from fright, 
and the doctor came to the castle to see her.” 

“ But they are little children, and easily 
frightened.” 

“ Dear pastor, if you could hear the noise it 
makes you would not wonder that I am afraid. 
It whines and moans and growls all at one 
time, and there is a whining sound like a very 
high wind in cedar trees ;” and poor Tobias 
turned pale at the remembrance of it. 

“What does the Frau Baroness think of all 
this? ” questioned the pastor. 

“At first she said there were no such things 
as ghosts; but I believe she has changed her 
mind, for she looks pale and almost sick from 
fear, and longs for the Baron to come home.” 

“Did you tell her of the words that shone 
like fire over your door ? ” 

“Yes, but she could not see them.” 

“I can explain this apparent mystery, dear 


A Good Riddance, 


105 


Tobias. Have you never in walking through 
the woods at night seen a piece of decayed 
timber which emitted a dim light ? ” 

“ No, I never did.” 

“It will do so, particularly in some condi- 
tions of the atmosphere. Well, that light is 
called phosphorescent, and there is a chemical 
substance called phosphorus, of a yellowish 
color, with which one can draw figures or 
letters upon a wall which will only be seen in 
the dark. It is my belief that some evil-minded 
person has done this to frighten you, and ” 

He was interrupted by a grating, growling 
sound, which caused Tobias to spring to his 
feet trembling and pale with terror. 

“The spirit!” he whispered, “it has fol- 
lowed me here.” 

“Do you think so, does it sound hke your 
ghost? ” questioned the pastor, “ then come with 
me, and it can be easily explained.” 

He took the hand of Tobias, and led him 
into the play-room adjoining, and at the same 
moment the three grandchildren of the pastor 
rushed in from another door. 

“O grandpa! wind up the monk; we want 
to hear him play.” 

The pastor did so, amid the shouts and 
laughter of the children over the whining and 
groaning of the grotesque toy. 


106 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

“Now, you see that what you thought was a 
spirit is only an ingenious piece of handiwork 
which I have bought to amuse the little ones; 
and you say the winding of the machinery 
sounds like your ghost?” 

“Yes, but not so loud, and there is no whir- 
ring sound like the wind.” 

“Now, Tobias,” said the pastor, when they 
returned to his study, “I am about to entrust 
a secret to your keeping, and do not wish you 
to tell any one until I give you leave. I will 
come to-night to the castle and sleep with you, 
and will watch for the ghost. I will not come 
until it is dark, and you must be on the look- 
out for me, and let me into your room without 
any one suspecting a word of it. I am but a 
weak man, but I place myself under the best of 
protection, that of my God and Saviour. So 
you may expect me, Tobias, and God willing, 
I shall not fail you.” 

“ Oh, thank you! thank you ! ” cried the boy, 
a great burden lifted from his heart, “I shall 
watch for you, and no one shall know you are 
there.” 

He went home, and all noticed that he looked 
happier, but none suspected the cause. In the 
meantime the messenger had returned from 
Berhn with the word that Baron von Kaundorf 
had left Berlin upon some public business, but 


A Good Riddance, 


107 


would return there that evening, when the mes- 
sage would be promptly given him, and with 
this the Baroness was forced to be satisfied, 
though longing for his presence. 

It was quite dark when Tobias heard the light 
tap of the pastor’s hand against the window of 
his room, and in a second he had flown to the 
door, and Herr Seeback was inside without 
any one having seen him. Then Tobias went 
about his evening duties, and when bedtime 
came he returned to his apartment. 

The pastor had bolted the outer door, pulled 
the bed from the wall, so that both could jump 
quickly to the floor when the spirit appeared, 
then prayers were said, and both retired with- 
out removing their clothing, Tobias at the side 
furthest from the door. 

The boy was soon in a sound sleep, and the 
full moon shone through the large windows, 
lighting the whole apartment. The castle 
clock in the great hall had struck the hour 
of twelve, when the listening pastor heard a 
singular sound of moaning, whining and growl- 
ing, and with it was the whirring of wind among 
cedar trees ; and at the same moment the door 
which he had left locked slowly opened, and 
two white robed figures ghded in. The pastor 
at the first sound had slipped from the bed and 
hidden behind the curtains at the head, and 


108 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

watched till the tall figure and the other — 
scarcely reaching to his shoulder — stopped at 
the bedside, and commenced pulling the bed- 
clothes from Tobias. With one blow of his 
fist he felled the one nearest him — which hap- 
pened to be the little spirit — to the floor, while 
the other ghost, filled with astonishment at 
the unexpected and hidden attack, remained 
motionless. In a moment they seemed to re- 
cover themselves, and rushed" out of the door ; 
and Tobias, gaining courage, flew after them, 
grasping the little spirit and throwing it down. 

“ Herr von Seerhausen, Herr von Seerhau- 
sen, help me!” cried the well-known voice of 
Albert, the son of Steward Scheinert. 

But the greater spirit heeded not, but run- 
ning to a side door ran up the steps, gained 
his apartments, and locked and bolted the 
door. 

“Oh, oh! don’t pull my hair, Tobias, it was 
only a joke,” cried Albert. - 

“ Only a joke to frighten nearly to death the 
good httle Lila, who never did you any harm? 
Oh, you wicked, wicked boy! ” 

“And the other is Herr von Seerhausen!” 
exclaimed the pastor; “oh, the shameful in- 
gratitude toward his benefactor.” 

“ He coaxed me to be the other ghost,” whim- 
pered Albert, “ I am not to blame.” 


A Good Riddance, 


109 


“ That is the cry of evil-doers, they always 
put the blame on others,” said the pastor. 
‘‘Why did he select you for a partner in his 
wickedness, why not choose Tobias? Because 
he knew you would agree to it, and no money 
could influence Tobias to lend himself to such 
an evil as frightening any one.” 

“Tobias pulled my hair, and I will pay him 
for it the next time I get a chance.” 

“You will never get a chance if I can help it,” 
responded Tobias, promptly. 

“Now,” continued the pastor, “ I shall stand 
at Herr von Seerhausen’s door, and I wish you, 
Tobias, to go and tell the Baroness that we 
have captured not only one ghost, but two. 
Take care not to alarm little Lila, and when 
you return, go tell the servants.” 

Tobias did as he was requested, and although 
the Baroness was greatly relieved to know what 
it was that had frightened them, it distressed her 
beyond measure that one to whom the Baron 
had shown the kindness that he had to von Seer- 
hausen should reward him by such treachery. 

The servants had heard the tumult without, 
and were gathered in a group in the servants’ 
hall, afraid to venture out ; now, that their fears 
were allayed by the message of Tobias, they 
gathered outside by Herr von Seerhausen’s 
door. 


110 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

“How did you make that queer, screeching 
noise ? ” said Tobias to Albert. 

“ With a rusty saw and an oak board, and at 
the same time we groaned and snarled.” 

“How did you make the sound of the rush- 
ing wind?” 

“ By whirling a cedar bush around as fast as 
it would go.” 

Tobias was ashamed that he had been fright- 
ened by such simple means, and resolved never 
again to cover his head, but to put on a bold 
face and see what the mystery was. 

“But,” questioned the pastor, “by what 
means were the children frightened ? ” 

“I don’t know, I have only been with Herr 
von Seerhausen twice, and that was at night, 
but I know he has a frightful mask which he 
got in Berlin. It is black, and has great eyes 
and teeth, and he has something which makes 
letters on the wall, and you cannot see them 
except when it is dark. He put them over the 
door in the room where Tobias sleeps.” 

In the meantime the pastor had rapped at 
the door of von Seerhausen’s apartments, but 
there was no response. 

“ You poor, miserable creature,” said the pas- 
tor, through the key-hole, “will you not come 
out and give some reason for your actions?” 

Before there could be any reply the gate was 


A Good Riddance, 111 

thrown open, and two horsemen rode rapidly 
in. 

“ It is the Baron and the groom,” said Peter, 
‘‘ and they must have come like the wind ; look 
how wet the horses are.” 

The Baron threw himself from his horse and 
came to the pastor. 

“Who is the wretch that has been fright- 
ening my wife and children ? ” questioned he. 
“Let me punish him as he deserves.” 

“If you can get him out of his hiding-place, 
Herr Baron,” smiled the pastor. “We have 
tried, but have not succeeded. They were 
punished with their own weapons, for they 
thought that I was a spirit, and they fled in 
fright.” 

“ Who fled ? Who was it ? ” 

“Scheinert’s son Albert and Herr von Seer- 
hausen.” 

“Von Seerhausen!” cried the Baron, in a 
shocked tone ; “ certainly it was not he ! A 
man who has eaten at my table, to whom I 
have given a home, and whom, in spite of his 
failings, I have treated as a friend ! Where 
is he?” 

“In his apartments, with the door bolted,” 
replied the pastor. “But, dear Herr Baron, 
compose yourself, and consider. Do nothing 
in hasty anger that you may regret all your 


112 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

after life. Do not let your indignation lead 
you into temptation. Leave the miserable man 
to his own conscience.” 

“But he has none,” cried the Baron, “or he 
never could have had the heart to torment my 
helpless family in this way, and those who have 
always been kind to him. I see through von 
Seerhausen’s plans : he wishes to frighten my 
wife, children, and servants until they will be 
unwilling to live in the castle which he looks 
upon as his. Get an axe, Peter. If he won’t 
unlock the door, we must break it open.” 

Peter hurried off for the axe ; the door was 
broken open ; all rushed upstairs ; but, to the 
secret joy of the pastor, the bird had flown. 

“Believe me, dear Herr Baron, it is better 
for all concerned that he has taken refuge in 
flight ; bloodshed might have been the outcome 
of your meeting with him, and then life-long 
remorse to you, or life-long grief to your wife 
and children. His punishment will be great 
enough, for he has cast away a good home, 
and for his misdeeds he is a wanderer upon 
the earth. His Master’s eye is upon him ; let 
him go where he will, he cannot escape that.” 

“ But I cannot imagine how he left his apart- 
ments without being seen,” said the Baron, 
“ and the window is too high for him to leap 
from it without injury. Here boy,” continued 


A Good Riddance. 113 

he, turning to Albert, “ how did you get into the 
castle? Tell me the truth, that your punish- 
ment may be lighter.” 

“ I came up the narrow steps from a vault 
under the castle, and Herr von Seerhausen 
held a light to show me the way.” 

“ But there is no door in this room leading 
to a flight of steps.” 

“ Yes, if you press a little button under the 
foot of that marble image in the corner a door 
will fly open in the wall behind it, and there 
are the steps.” 

The Baron pressed the button, and found 
the story correct. 

“Astonishing!” said he, “I never knew of 
this door. Seerhausen must have had it put 
here when he was owner of the castle.” 

“But how did you unbolt the door below in 
my room? ” questioned Tobias. 

“When it was only bolted we slipped the 
bolt back by means of a string which worked 
in a groove. We did this from the outside ; 
the night you locked the door, we crept down 
from this room and opened it from the inside, 
while the noise in the covered walk was so loud 
you did not hear it.” 

“ Your father fled from the neighborhood 
and my estate to escape his just deserts at the 
hands of the law,” said the Baron, sternly; 

8 


114 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

“ out of charity to your mother and yourself I 
have allowed you to remain in your cottage; 
but now you must go. Tell her the cottage 
must be vacant by this time to-morrow, or it 
will not be well for you.” 

Albert left the castle and ran home, glad 
that his punishment was no heavier. 

“I have no doubt but von Seerhausen has 
escaped through the secret door,” continued 
the Baron; “well, I shall not search for him, 
but am only glad that such an evil element is 
no longer under my roof.” 


CHAPTEE XI. 

IN QUARTERS. 

W ITH the disappearance of Bmno von 
Seerhausen, and the removal of the 
steward’s family from the estate, the peace of 
the Baron’s home returned. Otto and Lila re- 
covered their health and spirits, and in the 
covered walk could make as much noise as 
they pleased. 

Eiches had not changed the Baron and 
Baroness, they were the same cheerful, useful, 
happy Christians they were when in their 
humble home, and were training their children 
in the love of their Saviour. The poor, the 
sick, the afflicted and homeless found help and 
sympathy, and Pastor Seeback found in them 
valuable assistants in his pastoral work. n- 
Spring came, and mother earth was awaken- 
ing from her winter sleep, trees and shrubbery 
were putting on their mantle of green, and all 
nature appeared rejoicing over the coming of 
summer. 

Tobias, under the training of his pious grand- 
father, and in the society of the good von 
115 


116 Christian Beck's Grandson . 

Raundorfs, had grown to be a consistent Chris- 
tian, and longed to become a member of the 
visible church. Pastor Seeback believing him 
to be fully prepared for admission, he was re- 
ceived in full communion, as it happened, just 
at the age when his beloved friend, the Baron 
had, when in the home of his uncle Raundorf, 
received the same rite. 

Tobias had lost father and mother, and the 
companionship of his loved grandfather, but 
now, under the friendship and care of his loved 
pastor, and the congregation over which he was 
guardian, he felt that he was not alone in the 
world, that he had many friends and helpers if 
need be, and was truly happy in the good home 
to which Providence had guided him. 

“ I ought to be happy and contented,” thought 
he, ‘‘one of the happiest boys in the world. 
My grandfather gave me his blessing, the Baron 
and Baroness treat me just as they do their 
own children, and the little ones look on me as a 
brother. The dear pastor is as kind as a father 
to me, and the church .people speak kindly 
when I meet them. The schoolmaster praises 
me, and lets me play the organ, and Boaz, the 
old shepherd, teaches me to play upon the 
Alpine horn.” 

At that moment he saw one of the farm- 
hands coming through the great gate into the 


In Quarters. 117 

fields, driving a fine pair of horses attached to 
a plow. 

“Let me go with you, Gottlob,” said he, 
eagerly, “I do so want to learn to plow.” 

“Well, come along, this is Saturday and a 
holiday, it is not every day that you get the 
chance to follow me to the field.” 

“Do you know, Gottlob,” said Tobias, as 
they trudged along, “that it was a king in 
Egypt, named Osiris, who invented the first 
plow? Yes, and guided it himself. And Joseph 
II., Emperor of Austria, would plow, and his 
courtiers walked along by his side and their 
silken hose became soiled with the moist earth ; 
and a great Eoman general could till his own 
soil and raise his own turnips, while I, a country 
boy, and without any trade in the world, know 
nothing of plowing.” 

“I call that a great king that invented the 
plow,” said Gottlob, thoughtfully, “he knew 
something beside the taste of good pastry, if 
his name was O. Syrup.” 

“ Osiris, not O. Syrup,” laughed Tobias. 

“ Oh, well, it is no difference what his name 
was now, the main thing is, that he knew how 
to plow. That is the greatest thing to know. 
If a man can raise potatoes and grain, and has 
such soil as this to raise them in, he ought to be 


118 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

a happy man. Now, give heed, Tobias, and see 
me set the plow.” 

“ Oh, yes, I can do that, now let me try to 
plow.” 

‘‘Not just yet, I must run the first furrow, 
which must be as straight as a ruler, then the 
others can be run by it. Look, Tobias ! ” point- 
ing to a flock of crows that had alighted on the 
hedge, and were watching the proceedings, 
“here they come, waiting for the rich earth to 
be turned up that they may feast. They really 
appear to know too much for creatures that are 
not human; and when we plant the corn you 
will see what a nuisance even crows can make 
of themselves.” 

He plowed once around the great field, then 
Tobias took his turn at the work, but it was far 
harder than he thought to keep the plow 
straight and to sink it deep enough, without 
having the guiding of the horses, and he soon 
gave it up into the skilful hands of Gottlob, 
and returned to the castle. 

“Tobias,” said a voice, as he was passing the 
barn, “come in and help us thresh out this 
■grain, here is a flail waiting for you.” 

Tobias complied, and running up to the barn 
floor his flail was soon resounding merrily, and 
he was getting heated and tired when Pastor 
Seeback passed, and nodded pleasantly to him. 


In Quarters, 


119 


“That is right,” said he, “keep the hands 
busy and Satan will get no chance to put work 
in them.” 

“ Oh, dear pastor,” said Tobias, laying aside 
his fljail, “I ‘am glad you happened along, I 
would like to ask you a question.” 

“Very well, my boy, I am always glad to 
answer them when I can.” 

“I was walking to-day beside Gottlob and 
the plow, and we were speaking of potatoes, 
and we wondered when they were such good 
food for poor people, and cheaper than grain, 
why God did not make them keep good all the 
year round ; that appears to be their only 
failing.” 

“No failing, but an advantage,” replied Herr 
Seebeck, “see, Tobias, if potatoes kept as well 
as grain, people who raise thorn would be 
tempted to hold them for higher prices, and 
those who have no land to raise them would 
be unable to buy. Now, think of the privation 
it would be to those who make potatoes their 
staple food. Truly God is good and wise.” 

“ Gottlob and I never thought of that. Yes, 
it is better that potatoes do not keep good all 
the year.” 

“ Soldiers are coming ! ” cried Leise, the goose- 
herder. “They are already at the bridge! Sol- 
diers! soldiers!” 


120 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

Even in that country, where every man is a 
soldier for some part of his life, the cry of “fire! 
fire!” could not create more excitement than 
that of “soldiers!” All who could do so rushed 
out to see them. Out of fields and granaries 
came workmen; out of kitchens came maids; 
out of schools came the scholars; from work- 
benches, the wood-carvers ; from stores, the 
salesmen; everybody running at the sound of 
trumpets, for the soldiers were not averse to 
having it known that they were on the march. 

Although a company of soldiers is frequently 
made up of stalwart country boys, perhaps 
some of them from the neighborhood through 
which they are passing, yet, as cavalry, they 
were regarded by the Raundorf people with a 
certain awe, for they looked very noble indeed, 
mounted upon handsome horses, their bright 
weapons shining in the sun, and tall helmets 
shading their fair, handsome faces. It ap- 
peared that the horses felt the pride which 
animated the breasts of their masters, for they 
arched their necks and champed their bits as 
though knowing that thousands of dollars would 
not pay for the equipment of even that one 
regiment passing through Raundorf that beau- 
tiful spring day. 

Although living in a country which main- 
tains such a great standing army, Tobias had 


In Quarters, 


121 


never before seen a cavalry company, and he 
was almost bewildered by the splendor. His 
heart beat high, and he then and there resolved 
to be a soldier. 

Among the delighted lookers-on there was 
one who was anything but cheerful at the sight, 
and that one was Parson Seeback. 

‘‘ I cannot rejoice when I see a company of 
soldiers,” said he, sadly, “for the thought al- 
ways comes to me, AYhy are these well-formed, 
strong, healthy men, these noble horses, these 
bright weapons, gathered in a common cause? 
And the answer comes. To wound, to kill; to 
bring anguish upon tender wives and mothers, 
and weeping to little ones who should know 
nothing of sorrow. Very attractive is the pro- 
fession of arms, but it is like the bitter pill 
coated with sugar ; and all the glare and glitter 
of dress-parade cannot atone for the real hard- 
ship and danger.” 

“But every country has soldiers, hasn’t it?” 
questioned Tobias. 

“Yes, but not such an immense standing 
army as ours. At least two millions of able- 
bodied men are in the army, who could be 
added to the working force of the Fatherland, 
and many hundreds of thousands of horses.” 

“ But the Herr Baron is an officer,” said To- 
bias, reflectively, “ and he is so good and kind 


122 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


that I am sure he would not be willing to cause 
trouble to anyone.” 

“ It is every man’s duty to protect his country, 
and in the Fatherland we have many noblemen 
for whom there seems to be no occupation, see- 
ing that the rules which govern society prohibit 
the members of the nobility from engaging in 
manual labor of any kind, or the professions of 
law, medicine, or the ministry; there seems 
nothing but the army for our young noblemen. 
They may be good and tender-hearted, as I 
well know our kind friend Baron Carl is, but 
let war break out, and the most peaceful of 
them will, during the horrors of a battle, lead 
his men over the bodies of the fallen. Yes, war 
is a terrible thing, and nothing can make it 
anything else.” 

“My grandfather was a kind-hearted man 
and a Christian, yet he was in the Seven Years’ 
War,” persisted Tobias. 

“Yes, what you say of him is true; but I 
have heard him many times deplore the neces- 
sity, if necessity it be, of war. Christians should 
not make war against their fellows. Not for 
conquest, not for self -glory, or for glory of one’s 
country, should Christians be willing to fight; 
only in self-defence is it allowable for one who 
does unto others as he wishes them to do unto 
him.” 


In Quarters. 123 

Tobias had heard all the words of the pastor, 
but they could not take his interest from the 
soldiers ; his boyish heart was filled with en- 
thusiasm, and he longed for the opportunity to 
show his bravery. His delight was past ex- 
pressing when he found that the regiment was 
to be quartered at Raundorf and other places 
around the neighborhood. Every family had 
one or more, and the pastor’s wife had agreed 
to accommodate ten, while at the castle many 
of the officers were to be entertained, and the 
spirits of Tobias were very high indeed at the 
thought of being so near to soldiers. For the 
few days they remained Tobias divided his 
time about equally between the parsonage and 
the castle, seeing commanders and commanded. 

The evening of their arrival he was at the 
parsonage, where Frau Seeback and her maid 
had prepared a good hot supper, and had it 
upon the table in readiness for them the 
moment they should arrive. 

“We have to attend first to our horses,” 
replied they, curtly, and Tobias followed them 
to the stalls, while Frau Seeback had the 
viands returned to the oven to keep warm. 
For the accommodation of the horses the pas- 
tor had given up even the cow-stall, 3 ^et the 
cavalrymen, hungry and tired, grumbled at the 
meagre accommodations while feeding, water- 


124 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

ing, and rubbing down their horses ; and Tobias 
began to think that, after all, the infantry had 
quite as easy times on foot as the cavalrymen 
on horseback ; for not a particle of rest or re- 
freshment could they take until their horses 
were in perfect order, saddles and bridles put 
carefully away, and the dust of travel wiped 
from their weapons. 

When he returned to the castle he found the 
stables filled with fine horses, and the whole 
place thronged with officers, their aids and 
servants; and the servants of the castle were 
roasting, broiling, and baking, and the great 
kitchen was fragrant with good things, as, in- 
deed, it had been for several days. 

Tobias was filled with excitement over these 
splendid doings, and was perfectly satisfied to 
give up his room in the wing, while he slept 
upon a settle in the kitchen, soundly and peace- 
fully, while the night watchman who had suc- 
ceeded Christian Beck kept strict guard, that 
fires might not result from the smoking of pipes 
and cigars by the soldiers. 

About two o’clock in the morning the tired 
cavalrymen were aroused from slumber by the 
shrill sound of a trumpet. They hurried to the 
stables, saddled and bridled their horses, and 
placed themselves in position at the command 
of their officer. The roll was called, and the 


In Quarters, 


125 


laggards were severely reprimanded and pun- 
ished. At the end of fifteen minutes they were 
allowed to return to their quarters, but not to 
sleep long, for they had to arise early to attend 
to their horses and polish their weapons. 

‘‘You see it was only a false alarm, Tobias,” 
said old Peter, “ and is done for the purpose of 
training them for sudden attacks. Oh, my boy, 
a soldier’s life is not one of play, but of labor 
and excitement, even in time of peace.” 


CHAPTEE XIL 


THE TWO BATTLES. 

B y eight o’clock that morning the cavalry 
set out at the sound of the trumpet, and, 
followed by all the boys of the neighborhood, 
went to the training-field, and Tobias was 
amazed at the severity of the discipline, and 
the searching scrutiny men and horses were 
subjected to by the officers. If a soldier was a 
moment too late, if the weapons or mountings 
were not as bright as polish could make them, 
a saddle-girth the least slack, a stirrup not 
adjusted to the proper length, it was a subject 
for reprimand. 

A sham battle was fought, as earnestly as 
though it were the real thing, and Tobias was 
delighted at the wonderful order and discipline 
of the troops. At first, a part of the regiment 
moved toward the enemy at a slow trot, which 
grew faster and faster until the horses broke 
into a gallop ; the earth trembled with the beat- 
ing of many hoofs, and the orders of the officers 
and the clash of sabres was a scene of exciting 
interest to Tobias. Then a trumpet sounded, 
and instantly the opposing forces dropped into 
126 


The Two Battles. 


127 


line, the only sound being the snorting and 
hurried breathing of the horses. As the dust 
cleared away, it was found that two men and 
three horses were missing, and later on it was 
ascertained that one of the men had been 
thrown and killed instantly, and another was 
so injured by a horse stepping upon him that 
it would be some time before he could be in 
line again. Two of the horses were injured, 
one so badly that it was ordered to be shot, 
and the other limped from a sprain. 

The Colonel of the regiment, much disturbed 
by these accidents, called the officers together, 
and spoke to them in a quick, angry tone. 

“Herr Major von Biskowitz, I have good 
cause to find fault with your company in point 
of training and discipline. Your soldiers are 
not prompt, and two of your horses had loose 
shoes. In my report to the commander I cer- 
tainly cannot speak well of your company ; you 
must in the future be stricter with your men.” 

The handsome face of the Major flushed 
with anger ; he was about to retort, but remem- 
bering that it was his superior officer he re- 
strained the impulse ; instead, he glanced at his 
brother officers to see if there were any evi- 
dence of rejoicing over his humiliation, and 
seeing such signs, he gave the military salute 
to his superior, and galloped back to the men 


128 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

to vent his wrath upon the officer next lowest 
in his command. 

“Herr Lieutenant von Schonfeld,” said he, 
angrily, “ because of your negligence I have 
been severely reprimanded. I wish in future 
that you would look more to your men, and less 
into the looking-glass. Both the accidents 
were to the men in your company, caused by 
loose shoes upon their horses. Do you leave 
it to me to inspect the hoofs of every horse in 
the company?” 

Young von Schonfeld turned pale with morti- 
fication, for not only in the presence of his 
men, but of the villagers and other spectators 
was the rebuke given, all looking on in surprise 
to see the gayly dressed and handsome young 
officer receive such harsh criticism. 

“ Herr Major,” exclaimed he, “ in exchange 
for this undeserved charge I would say that — ” 

“Be silent!” exclaimed the Major, peremp- 
torily, “ or I will report you.” 

“Don’t speak, von Schonfeld,” cautioned a 
brother officer, in a low tone, “ remember he is 
our superior officer.” 

Seeing the truth of this, there was nothing 
left the Lieutenant but to bite his lips, and 
lean forward to smooth the mane of his horse, 
and the moment the Major’s back was turned 
he put spur to it, and galloped back to his men 


The Two Battles. 


129 


to vent his wrath upon them for their lack 
of attention to orders, many of them so much 
older than himself that they were soldiers when 
he was a school-boy. 

Tobias was filled with astonishment at all this 
jarring. 

“ Ah,” thought he, “ a soldier’s life is not so 
pleasant, after all; if our steward or overseer 
were to speak to our work-people like that 
there would not be one of them on the estate 
by night. I saw tears in the eyes of the Major, 
and the Lieutenant had to gnaw his moustache 
to keep in the bitter words. All this scolding 
after they had taken so much trouble with their 
horses ! If the Herr Baron were to speak to 
his groom in that way I would have to keep 
out of his reach, for I suppose he would take 
out his spite on me. The whole thing to-day 
was only sham, yet it cost one man’s life, and 
that of two horses; what must a real battle 
be!” 

The regiment returned to their quarters, 
horsemen and riders covered ^vith dust. The 
trumpets clanged merrily, but many of the 
cavalrymen were anything but' merry. The 
Major was so much out of humor that he would 
not converse with any one, and all the officers at 
the castle seemed so out of sorts that the dinner 
was not at all a cheerful meal ; Lieutenant von 
9 


130 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

Schonfeld leaving the table the moment he had 
finished, and remaining in his room most of the 
day. 

Tobias left the castle and went to the par- 
sonage, hoping to see a more cheerful state of 
affairs, but found it even less so, the maid who 
cooked for the cavalrymen being incensed at 
their complaints of her skill. She had repeated 
their sayings to Frau Seeback, who devoutly 
wished their time was up, that the parsonage 
might return to its normal peaceful condition. 
The whole company was more or less ruffled in 
temper, and the innocent horses had to bear 
the brunt of their displeasure. Tobias had 
seen the sunny and shady side of a soldier’s 
life, and returned to the castle, where he was 
jubilantly welcomed by Otto. 

“ O Tobias ! I am so glad you are come, I 
want to play soldier and be gay and beautiful 
like the cavalrymen. I will be an officer, and 
you my horse. I will ask mamma for her silver 
spur, and you must have a string in your mouth 
for a bridle, and I will ride on your back, and 
when I say chirk! chirk! you must gallop.” 

Tobias agreed to all this, his mind busy with 
the thought that even this five-year-old boy 
was in love with a soldier life, and was acting 
the part to the best of his ability. 

“Now, my good horse, stand still, for if you 


The Two Battles. 


131 


move I shall hit you with my sabre, that is the 
way the soldiers do.” 

Tobias stood like a statue, and, at command 
of the young officer, trotted slowly, then faster 
and faster, then broke into a gallop, kept up 
until his forehead was damp, and his breath 
short with the exertion. 

“Poor horses!” thought he, “what a sad life 
you have when you belong to soldiers! Only 
a few hours’ sleep, a piece of hard iron in 
your mouth, and subject to the ill-temper of 
tired soldiers. How glad am I that I am a boy, 
for one even as poor as I is far better off than 
a horse owned by an emperor.” 

“ Chirk ! chirk ! ” came from Otto, the quickly 
drawn rein breaking in upon the moralizing of 
his steed, who sprang avray so suddenly that 
the young officer lost his hold and tumbled off, 
whereupon his horse assisted him to his feet, 
and brushed off the dust, while uttering words 
of condolence. 

The Baroness heard the sound of weeping 
and hurried to see the cause, and Tobias ex- 
plained. 

“We were playing soldier, gracious lady, and 
I was the horse, he chirruped to me, I sprang 
away too suddenly, and he fell off. I am sorry, 
I did not mean to hurt him.” 

“ I am sure of that, Tobias, but even in play 


132 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

a person may be badly hurt. Think of that 
poor cavalryman, E-iickert, who was thrown 
from his horse to-day and killed, and the other 
so badly hurt that he can never again be a 
soldier, and the horse that had to be killed 
because of its broken leg ; and yet it was only 
a sham battle.” 

“ Yes, I saw it all,” said Tobias, “ and will 
not forget again that we are only playing.” 

The Baroness returned to her room, satisfied 
that it would not happen again. Yet she was 
not in her usual spirits. She longed for the 
time when the castle would be free of soldiers, 
and order and quietude take the place of 
clanking sabres and spurs, the smell of cigars, 
and the banging of doors. She longed, oh, so 
earnestly, for the presence of her husband, for 
she felt the responsibility of entertaining so 
many officers ; but he, too, was a soldier, and 
duty called and kept him from his loved home. 

The next morning Tobias rose early, as was 
his custom, and went to see Boaz, the old shep- 
herd, who had promised to lend him a trumpet. 

All nature was fresh and lovely that beautiful 
morning, and the boy’s heart was light vdth 
youthful hope and pleasure as he went through 
the beech forest on the way to the cottage of 
Boaz. Every tree, shrub, and flower was 
noticed by him, for his grandfather had trained 


The Two Battles, 


133 


his eyes to see and appreciate the beautiful 
workmanship of all created things. 

Early as it was, Boaz had gone to the field 
with his flocks, but expecting Tobias he had 
left the trumpet where he could get it, and 
seizing the treasure Tobias hurried to the cottage 
of the farmer Gottlob, his son Gustav having 
promised to go with him to a quiet and se- 
cluded spot, where they could practice their 
favorite instruments of war. 

Gustav was not out of bed, but Tobias was 
willing to wait the few minutes it required for 
the simple toilet and ablutions of his com- 
patriot, and but a very short time elapsed until, 
with trumpet in hand, Gustav ^joined him ; and 
they returned to the beech forest, where they 
sat down upon a fallen tree behind the shadow 
of a great rock. They were scarcely seated 
when they heard the sound of horses’ hoofs, 
and peeping from behind their shelter they 
saw that several young officers, whom Tobias 
recognized as those quartered at the castle, 
halted close to them. The boys were full of 
curiosity to know for what purpose, and were 
not long in doubt, for after a few minutes’ con- 
versation one of them commenced stepping off 
a space in the fragrant turf of the forest, and 
they saw mth beating hearts that they were to 
witness a duel. 


134 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

Major von Biskowitz and Lieutenant von 
^Schonfeld were the principals, and had come 
that lovely, peaceful morning, under the name 
of honor, to wipe out the insult of the day 
before by risking their young lives. 

Tobias had often heard his grandfather de- 
plore these murders and suicides which flaunted 
under the name of honor, and was so fllled with 
horror at seeing an example of it so near him 
that he was speechless, and could only look on 
in mute helplessness at the terrible, sickening 
scene. 

“ The code of honor is so well known to you, 
Herr Major and Herr Lieutenant, that it is un- 
necessary to remind you who is entitled to the 
first shot,” said one of the seconds, as he placed 
pistols in their hands. 

A deep silence followed, and the eyes of 
Tobias were fastened upon the ghastly face of 
von Schonfeld, who was waiting for the “one! 
two! three! fire!” and the ball of his antag- 
onist, who, to the horror of Tobias, was taking 
aim. 

Although both were good marksmen, excite- 
ment had unsteadied their nerves, and the 
Major’s ball was lost in the air, while that of 
the Lieutenant grazed the ear of his antagonist, 
and the boys took a deep breath of satisfaction, 
for they thought the duel was over. But no ; 


The Two Battles. 


135 


so-called honor demanded two shors ; and when 
the second called time for another attempt at 
murder, the hand of the Major had regained its 
steadiness, a fearful cry filled the silent beech 
grove, and Lieutenant Schonfeld fell to the 
ground desperately wounded. 

“ He challenged me, and it is his own fault 
if he got the worst of it,” remarked Major von 
Biskowitz, turning away from the terrible sight. 

The physician who had accompanied them 
stepped forward and tried to stay the flow of 
blood ; a litter was provided, and the young 
officer was placed upon it and carried to the 
castle. 


CHAPTEK XIIL 
WHAT IS TMUE HONOR? 

HE Lieutenant von Schonfeld having 



1 gone out for a morning ride in the beech 
forest, his horse fell and threw him, and in 
rising stepped upon him,” was the report Vv^hich 
went to the commander of the regiment, and 
was given to the Baroness, who was filled with 
anxiety and sorrow over the accident; 

“It is not true,” said Tobias to Peter, the 
coachman, “I saw the Major shoot the Lieu- 
tenant in the breast with his pistol.” 

“We all know that as well as you do ; Jacob 
told us,” rephed Peter, “ and the Colonel knows 
it too, but it is his policy not to let people sus- 
pect that he has knowledge of it, or they would 
all be court-martialed.” 

“ Then the commanders don’t allow it ? ” com- 
mented Tobias. 

“No, they pretend not, but I often hear of 
duels among the hot-blooded young officers.” 

A crime that was forbidden and yet allowed, 
was a mystery to Tobias, and, as was his custom, 
he went to Pastor Seeback for information. 


136 


What is True Honor ? 


137 


“ Yes,” said the pastor, “ with officers of that 
style a duel is not only considered commend- 
able, but a necessity, when they imagine their 
honor assailed, although it is strictly forbidden. 
No wonder you are shocked, Tobias, duehng 
may be the code of officers, but it is not that 
of Christians. Our Lord and Saviour said : 
‘Love your enemies, do good to them who 
despitefully use you,’ and he also says, ‘ if a man 
smite you on the right cheek turn to him the 
left,’ and ‘it is better to suffer injustice than to 
act unjustly.’ We should follow in Christ’s 
footsteps, but these men say by their actions, 
‘as you do to me, so will I do to you.’ War in 
any form is a terrible evil. Thousands are mur- 
dered, for we cannot call it by any other name, 
whole villages are burned to the ground, ex- 
pensive and useful bridges destroyed, and cruel 
loss and havoc follow wherever it goes. But a 
duel is the most bloodthirsty and cruel of all, 
for it, there is never any excuse, and there is 
no good to be gained from it in any way. Lieu- 
tenant von Schonfeld considered that his supe- 
rior officer had insulted him in the presence of 
his men and others, and what has he gained ? 
Nothing, and may lose his life. Oh, my boy, it 
is far better to suffer injustice than to inflict it, 
and if he had killed Major von Biskowitz for a 
few hasty words, his life would have been one 


138 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

of remorse, as no doubt that of the Major will 
be, although he carried a high head in the 
affair.” 

The sham battle of the day before, and the 
wounding of Lieutenant von Schonfeld was the 
subject of neighborhood talk, and while the 
servants at the castle were taking their break- 
fast, Jacob, the servant of Lieutenant von 
Schonfeld, came to the kitchen for warm water 
and linen cloths. 

“How is your Herr master?” questioned 
Peter, “will he get well?” 

Jacob looked very sad, and finding that the 
servants knew it to be the result of a duel, and 
not an accident, gave what information he 
could. 

“They are searching for the ball, and it 
causes the loss of much blood,” said he. “I 
don’t see how he can live, and I don’t know 
how his mother and father can bear the news 
of his death, for he is their only child, and 
they almost worship him.” 

“What made him so silly as to fight the Ma- 
jor?” questioned Peter. “Words don’t kill; 
and if anybody speaks crossly to me, I just say 
to myself, ‘Keep your mouth shut, Peter, and 
move off.’ I let all rough speeches roll off like 
water off a duck’s back ; so nobody is hurt.” 

“Yes, that wdll do for common people like 


What is True Honor ? 


139 


us,” responded Jacob, “but young officers must 
attend to points of honor. Three weeks ago, 
when my young master took leave of his home, 
his father said : ‘ Eemember, my son, first comes 
honor ; then God ; then the emperor ; then 
your parents. Honor lost, all is lost; and I 
would rather see you in your grave than to 
hear that you had turned your back upon 
honor.” 

“What is honor?” questioned old Bertha, 
the cook. “I cannot make out exactly what 
it is.” 

“Honor,” responded Jacob, reflectively and 
pompously, “ honor is when a man makes other 
men afraid of him.” 

“ Then rats must have plenty of it, for I am 
afraid of them,” grumbled Bertha. 

“ I don’t like anybody to make light of such 
a serious subject,” remarked Jacob, with dig- 
nity. 

“ Our old Herr Baron thought that our young 
Baron Carl had injured his honor by marrying 
a burger’s daughter ; can you explain that, J a- 
cob?” questioned Peter. 

“Honor among the nobility is a curious 
thing, and cannot be easily explained,” replied 
Jacob. 

“I will read you something about honor that 
the Herr Pastor wrote for me,” said Tobias, 


140 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


eagerly, taking a folded paper from his pocket. 
“He said that a brother clergyman, who was a 
very learned and good man, wrote it ; and our 
dear Herr Pastor has read it so many times 
that he can say it without looking at the paper. 
He said that I was to commit it to memory, so 
that I could tell it to others.” 

“Well, go ahead,” said Jacob, “although I 
am not much for reading.” 

“Nor I,” said Peter, “but women are always 
wanting to hear new things, so you can read it 
for them.” So Tobias read : 

“ ‘ What is true honor? Is it not to bow 
Submissively to him who rightly sits 
In heaven enthroned through an eternal Now^ 

The great, supreme Creator? What else befits 
So well poor, sinful man, whose being flits 
Away like vapor from the marshy plain. 

Seeming secure, but gentle zephyr smites 
It easily to nothingness again, 

Nor vestige leaves of its illusive train. 

Submitting truly to his righteous sway, 

We rise exalted as we lowly bend 

In dust ; and in the new and living way. 

Which our dear Saviour, the poor sinner’s friend. 

Hath opened, we approach his throne, and blend 
Our prayers, and tears repentant, homage pure. 

To God. ’Tis then, and only then, we trend. 

From earth, and sin’s disgrace, our way secure 
To honor stainless, that shall e’er endure. 

But, oh ! how many they who will not seek 
This humble, pure nobility of soul; 


What is True Honor? 


141 


And deem their fellows cowardly and weak, 

Who faithfully their littleness control, 

And look o’er time to that immortal goal 
Where honor false shall quick be disarrayed, 

And honor true receive its rightful dole, 

A crown! That crown, oh, comrade, will not fade. 
To gain it strive; may it thy brow enshade ! ’ ” 

“Yes,” remarked Jacob, when he had fin- 
ished, “ that sounds very good, and I suppose 
it is, but it would not do for our young officers 
at all. If there were no fear of duels, the supe- 
rior officers would tyrannize until life would be 
a burden, for the inferiors cannot resent it in 
any other way that I know of. Yes, yes, the 
fear of a challenge keeps them respectful. If 
my poor Herr Lieutenant had been willing to 
put up with the insulting words of the Major, 
all his brother officers would have despised 
him. Yes, he would have been ashamed to 
meet the eyes of his comrades. Now that he 
has met the Major and exchanged shots with 
him, they will have respect for him.” 

“ What use will that be if he is in his coffin ? ” 
inquired Peter. 

“What use? Why much. People can die 
but once, and a soldier’s life is never secure ; 
just think of cavalryman Eiickert yesterday.” 

“When is he to be buried?” 

“This evening, and to-morrow bright and 


142 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

early the regiment moves, but my poor Lieu- 
tenant will remain.” 

Had Riickert any people, Jacob? ” inquired 
Bertha. 

“Yes, the Colonel sent them word of the 
accident, but they don’t come.” 

The words had scarcely been uttered when 
there came a timid knock at the kitchen door, 
and Peter hastened to open it. 

There stood a feeble-looking little woman 
dressed in mourning, and with her a half-grown 
girl. Both seemed scarcely able to stand from 
weariness, and their eyes were dim with tears. 

“AYhere is the body of my son, my Hein- 
rich?” said the elder woman, oh! tell me that I 
am not too late 1 I am his mother and this is 
his only sister, Sophie. We have walked a 
long way, but if we only see my boy .” 

Tears stopped her utterance, and the servants 
looked upon her with deep sympathy, but none 
but Tobias thought of bringing chairs for them. 

“ His death was so sudden, little mother, that 
I doubt if he suffered pain,” said Jacob. “We 
must all die, and we don’t know how soon, and 
it was much easier than to have been wounded 
in battle, and perhaps hve a long time a miser- 
able cripple.” 

The mother looked at him as though unable 
to comprehend his words. 


What is True Honor ? 


143 


“He was my only son, my support, for I am 
a widow,” said she, with pale lips. 

“Exactly, so is my master an only son,” 
answered Jacob, “and oh, misery! I had for- 
gotten that I came for warm water and band- 
ages ; here, you people, give me the things, why 
dont you hurry ? dear, dear 1 to think I should 
forget in such a time 1 ” 

He hurried away, and the others turned to 
Frau Riickert. 

“Have some coffee and semmels, little 
mother,” said Bertha, “come to the table and 
eat, it will rest you.” 

“But first tell me of my son, and that I am 
not too late.” 

“No, you are not too late,” said Tobias, with 
tears of sympathy in his eyes. “ He is at Herr 
Schindler’s, where he was quartered. I will 
take- you there, if you are not too tired.” 

“ Oh, tired indeed are we, for we have walked 
eight hours, but we would walk double the dis- 
tance to see my poor boy.” 

“But eat something, mother, before you go.” 
said Peter. 

“Oh, I could not swallow it. If Sophie can 
eat, I will wait for her.” 

But the sister also declined, and both arose 
and followed Tobias. It was quite a distance, 
and the boy beguiled the time by telling them 


144 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

of the duel, of the parting words of Lieuten- 
ant von Schonfeld’s father, and of his terrible 
wounding. 

“Oh! how could any father give such ad- 
vice to his son?” exclaimed Frau Kuckert, in 
shocked surprise. “And to put honor before 
his Maker! Poor boy! poor boy! he felt com- 
pelled to stand up and be shot for what he 
considered honor. Oh ! had he no good Chris- 
tian mother to counteract that godless ad- 
vice ? ” 

“Jacob did not say that she did,” replied 
Tobias. “But we have reached Schindler’s, 
and your son is in that room where the blind 
is down.” 

The mother turned very pale, and leaned 
against the door-frame for support ; but, quickly 
recovering, she took the arm of her daughter, 
and followed Tobias into the room. There lay 
young Kuckert in his cavalry uniform, his face 
peaceful in the repose of death, and in his 
hands a bunch of wild flowers, placed there by 
a comrade in arms. 

Speechless and tearless, the mother gazed for 
a moment, and then came a low cry: “Hein- 
rich, my son, my son!” and she sank, almost 
fainting, upon the chair which Tobias had 
placed for her. 

Tears of sympathy flowed from the eyes 


What is True Honor f 145 

of Tobias. He had never before seen such 
grief. 

‘‘A better son no mother ever had,” said the 
poor woman, after a long pause, and rocking 
herself slowly to and fro. “ He had only one 
year more to serve ; then he was to have come 
home, and was to have married our good neigh- 
bor’s daughter, Lotta; and her father was to 
have given her a piece of land, three cows, and 
five hundred dollars. And my boy was not 
willing that Sophie should go out to service, 
but said that he would give her the amount 
she would earn, so that she might stay with me 
while he was away. He was always so thought- 
ful and kind.” 

All this went to the heart of Tobias, and he 
called to mind how entirely alone was he in the 
world, with no mother to weep for him were he 
lying in the place of Heinrich. 

“Oh! I am glad,” thought he, “that my mo- 
ther is safe in heaven, where there are no tears 
shed, though it is lonely for me upon earth, 
with no father, mother, sister, or brother. But 
I am glad that there will be no one to grieve for 
me as this poor mother is grieving for her son.” 

After a time they heard a great trampling of 
horses’ hoofs outside, and Tobias knew that 
the cavalrymen were returning from the train- 
ing-field. Frau Kiickert knew it, too, and tears 
10 


146 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

rained from her eyes at the thought that at the 
last training her boy was alive and well, and 
that he was now deaf to her words of love. 

It had been arranged that the funeral was to 
be late in the afternoon, and Herr Schindler 
and his wife showed every kindness to the poor 
mother and sister in the interval, and seeing 
them in such good hands, Tobias ran across the 
fields to the castle, resolving to return to the 
funeral. 

The servants listened eagerly to all he had 
to tell, and when he went back to Schindler’s he 
was the bearer of a message from the Baroness, 
that Frau Biickert was welcome to return to 
the castle when the funeral was over, and 
remain as long as she felt contented to stay. 

To the surprise of the villagers the Colonel 
came to the funeral, and all his officers followed 
his example. Nearly all the regiment followed 
the simple casket, and the whole village turned 
out to see a soldier’s funeral. Half-holiday 
was given the school-children, and all took 
flowers to lay upon the grave. Next to the 
coffin walked the two mourners, and with the 
pastor was Tobias, for the mother wished it, 
and the boy was glad that it was a comfort to 
her to see him there, and the words of Herr 
Seeback touched the hearts of many of the 
dead cavalryman’s comrades. 


What is True Honor ? 


147 


Then Tobias took the mother and sister to 
the castle, where a good room was given them, 
to which they retired after their light supper, 
and where they slept the sleep of exhaustion. 

Early the next morning the regiment left 
Raundorf, and no one was sorry to part from 
them. 

All had left the castle except Herr Lieu- 
tenant Schonberg and his servant, Jacob, the 
poor young officer .being too badly wounded 
to move in his bed, and to the great satisfaction 
of the Baroness, Frau Riickert, who was an 
experienced nurse, was very willing to stay and 
take care of him, and Sophie made herself 
useful in many ways. 


CHAPTEK XIV. 

AJSr ATTACK BY FREEBOOTERS. 

FEW weeks passed, and the whole coun- 



try was agitated by the cry of “War! 
War!” which, like the death of the first-born 
in Egypt, brought sorrow to every household 
in Kaundorf. 

“ Oh, my husband,” cried the Baroness von 
Kaundorf, weepingly, “why not ask for your 
discharge from the army ? There are plenty to 
go without your risking your hfe; you can 
easily procure a discharge.” 

“I know it, my Amalie, but think how cow- 
ardly it would be to ask for it when my country 
needs my services ! I would not be worthy the 
name of nobleman, much less of soldier and of- 
ficer in the emperor’s service. The Fatherland 
calls upon all her sons, and we must obey.” 

Kachel wept for her children and would not 
be comforted because they were not, and 
throughout the Fatherland mothers were weep- 
ing because of the danger to which their loved 
ones would be exposed, children weeping for 
their fathers, and wives for their husbands. 
From every city, town, village, hamlet and farm- 


148 


149 


An Attack hy Freebooters. 

house, came response to the call “to arms!” 
the farmer going from his fields, the merchant 
from his desk, the pastor from his pulpit, teach- 
ers from their pupils, work of all kinds left 
unfinished, the hands employed upon it having 
taken up sabre and musket. 

There was another great question to be con- 
sidered which the war entailed, and that was 
provisions for such a great number ; and for 
this object contributions were levied, all doing 
their share according to their ability, and that 
of Baron von Raundorf was a generous one, 
cattle, sheep, and other animals for food, beside 
all kinds of grains and vegetables. 

Before the militia left Raundorf, they, headed 
by the Baron, went to the church, where there 
was service especially for them. The good 
pastor prayed for their safe return, and blessed 
them. Sadness was upon every face; women 
wept, and the solemn tones of the organ touched 
many hearts. “ With God, for the emperor and 
our Fatherland ! ” Herr Seeback had said, and 
his discourse inspired them to battle for the 
right. He bade them to keep God ever before 
their eyes, and love for him in their hearts. 
Then the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was 
administered, and they marched away, and the 
pastor returned to the parsonage. 

It had devolved upon Tobias, after the death 


150 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

of his grandfather, to have charge of the key of 
the church, and that day he resolved to ask 
some questions of the pastor when he took the 
key to him. 

“Dear Herr Pastor, w^hat is the use of war?” 
questioned he, “ and who invented it ? ” 

“War, my boy,” replied the pastor, “is an 
institution of Satan, designed for the bodily 
and spiritual destruction of man. War is the 
last resort of those who are striving for power ; 
and bloody wars are fought for territory which 
by right belongs to others. Such was the case 
with the wars of Napoleon, which, for twenty 
years, devastated Europe. But there are such 
things as just wars, and that is when a country 
must protect itself against an enemy, as in the 
case of Germany against France in 1813, when 
we all took up arms in defence of our Father- 
land, our wives, our children, and our homes. 
But I cannot look upon the present war in that 
light, it appears to be more for the sake of a 
covetous longing for more territory and a desire 
for glory. I think the councilors of the em- 
peror much to blame in influencing him to 
declare war. To stir up quarreling and strife 
is no great achievement, any simple-minded 
school-boy can do that, but to establish peace 
and keep peace is a noble virtue worthy of 
heroes and rulers. May God in his mercy 


An Attack hy Freebooters, 151 

bring the war to a close speedily, and for that 
we must pray.” 

All his life Tobias had heard of war, but 
until now had never been brought in such close 
contact with it. The once peaceful village, 
busy with its daily work of living, was now 
idle; the men who were at home gathered in 
groups discussing the situation, and those who 
once spent their evenings at home gathered in 
saloons and other public places to hear the 
news and to read the papers. 

At the same time there was much anxiety at 
the castle to hear the news, the Baroness 
watching for letters from her husband, and 
reading with beating heart the list of killed 
and wounded after each battle. 

“My dear Tobias,” said she, one morning, 
“you can do me a great service if you mil, 
and that is, to go to Berlin and ask for the 
letters and papers for me. The messenger 
brought nothing this morning, but I am sure a 
later mail has something for me ; I am terribly 
anxious about the Herr Baron.” 

The heart of Tobias thrilled with joy at this 
request, he was glad to oblige the Baroness, 
and delighted at the thought of seeing Berlin, 
for he had never been to the capital, and 
quickly made up his mind to invite Gustav to 


152 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

accompany him, quite sure his father would be 
willing to have him go. 

He was not mistaken in this, Gottlob was as 
anxious as any one to hear the latest news, and 
Gustav was dehghted at the thought, so they 
set out in fine spirits upon their eight-mile 
walk. 

They found Berlin in a state of great excite- 
ment, every face wearing a look of anxiety. 
Men were gathered at every street corner, 
and others were on church towers and other 
high places watching with field-glasses in 
hand. 

“If you lie down and put your ear to the 
earth you can hear the booming of cannon,” 
the boys heard a man say; “‘it must be a terri- 
ble battle ; may God give our troops the victory, 
or the enemy will be on us by to-morrow morn- 
ing.” 

The boys listened to this and many other 
bits of news, then getting a letter for the Ba- 
roness and some newspapers they started for 
home ; their talk naturally being upon the sub- 
ject uppermost in all minds. 

“ I cannot help wishing that, if there must 
be a battle, we were near enough te see it,” 
remarked Gustav. “We boys have often played 
war, and speared each other with corn-stalks 
and bombarded with clods of earth, but I have 


An Attack hy Freehooters. 153 

never seen cannon fired and limbs shot off; 
that is real war.” 

“ But I hope we will never see that ; just 
think of the people who have sons and hus- 
bands in the army! And there is a great 
battle going on now, and the poor Frau Ba- 
roness, who is nearly sick from anxiety and can- 
not sleep, will feel far worse when she hears of it.” 

“ Don’t you hear somebody coming, Tobias ? 
I do, just listen.” 

“ Let us put our ears to the ground, there is 
no one about to see and laugh at us.” 

The boys laid themselves flat upon the earth 
and Hstened. It was near a strip of woodland, 
bushes near at hand, and tall trees in the back- 
ground. 

‘‘Don’t you hear the thunder of cannon, 
Tobias? ” 

“Yes, but that sounds far off; near at hand 
I hear the people walking ; look, Gustav, there 
come two soldiers.” 

“ The boys sprang to their feet, Gustav run- 
ning into the woods.” 

“ Halt, you rascal 1 ” shouted the man, but 
Gustav did not obey ; instead, he ran the faster. 

“ Have you seen any soldiers about here? ” 
questioned they of Tobias. 

“ No, but a battle is going on, we were lis- 
tening to the booming of cannon.” 


154 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

“ What have you in your pocket ? ” was the 
next question, “unload, we will take care of all 
you have.” 

Tobias refused to comply, whereupon one of 
them held his arms fast to his side while the 
other rifled his pockets. In one was found 
crumbs of bread and scraps of cheese, and in 
the other the letter for the Baroness ; the news- 
papers which he carried under his arm they 
had already scattered to the winds. 

The boy looked on in dumb dismay while 
they broke the seal and unfolded the letter; 
but, though speaking German, they could not 
read it, therefore could not understand its con- 
tents. 

“ Here, boy, read this, we want to know what 
it says,” said one of them. 

“But it is not right to read other people’s 
letters unless thy give us permission,” ob- 
jected Tobias. 

“All is fair in love and war, boy, have you 
never heard that ? ” 

Had Tobias not been trained to tell the truth, 
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and 
to look upon deception in the light of falsehood, 
he would have used the soldier’s argument and 
considered all fair in war by changing the 
words of the letter as he read. But that never 
occurred to him, and he was too much in their 


155 


An Attack hy Freebooters. 

power to refuse to read, so commenced, but in 
a very low tone. 

“Louder, boy, louder, if you don’t want a 
cut from my sabre.” 

“My beloved wife, Amalie,” read Tobias, “I 
have only time for a few words, but I know that 
to tell you I am well is the best news I can 
send. I am full of anxiety for you and the 
children. If you hear of the enemy coming in 
that direction, secret yourselves in the wing of 
the castle in which are the apartments occupied 
by von Seerhausen, and be ready at any moment 
to descend through the secret door to the vaults 
below, where I secreted the family plate, jewels, 
and other valuables. I implore you not to let 
one night pass without having two trusty men 
from the village to guard the castle and give 
you warning of any attack. May God take you 
and our children in his mighty keeping. Fare- 
well my beloved, my wife. 

“Youk Eaundorf.” 

Great terror seized Tobias before he was half 
through the letter, he stopped and looked with 
imploring eyes at his captors, but hands were 
instantly placed upon sabres, and threatening 
looks told him to proceed. He bitterly re- 
gretted that he had not refused to read it, for 
he scarcely believed them wicked enough to 


156 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

kill a defenceless boy ; but the deed was done, 
and no power on earth could recall the words 
which both had heard. He now realized by 
their glances at each other and nods of satis- 
faction, that they were enemies, and the last 
people who should have heard the contents of 
the letter. His heart was filled with anguish 
that he had, though innocently, betrayed his 
benefactors, and was tortured with dread of 
the result. He put the letter back in his pocket, 
and was about to continue his journey when 
his way was obstructed. 

“Oh, no, my pretty boy, you are too useful 
to let go so quickly, come with us,” and they 
led their captive to the bushes, where were 
secreted a number of armed men to whom 
Tobias was compelled to read the letter, while 
comparing himself to Judas Iscariot who had 
betrayed his Master into the hands of the 
enemy. They all listened with interest, and 
for the rest of the day kept their eyes upon 
him, threatening him with instant death if he 
tried to escape. 

In the anguish of his heart Tobias instead of 
looking to God for help, put his dependence 
upon Gustav, hoping that he would reach the 
village and warn the people of the approach of 
the enemy. He grieved that Gustav had not 
heard the contents of the letter, that he might 


157 


A.n A.ttach hy Freebooters. 

warn the Baroness, and, added to that was the 
fear that Oustav did not know they were 
enemies, although he had run so fast that the 
soldier who had chased him saw it was impos- 
sible to overtake him. 

At length night came, and as soon as the 
men dropped asleep Tobias besought the 
leader, with tears and prayers, not to molest 
the castle, which he had so unwittingly be- 
trayed. But he was commanded to silence, 
and at midnight, when they set out on their 
march, they placed him in front to lead the way. 

“ Oh ! if I could but lead them from Baun- 
dorf, and instead guide them to the swamp of 
Gumpersdorf,” thought he, “it would not hurt 
them, only keep them prisoners until morning, 
and I could run and give the Kaundorf people 
the alarm.” 

But there was no chance to do this Some 
of them knew in what direction the village lay, 
and they watched him constantly, and it seemed 
to him but a very short time until the village 
lay before him. He knew every tree and shrub, 
saw the steeple of the church pointing to the 
silent stars, and longed as he had never done 
before for his grandfather, who lay peacefully 
sleeping in the church-yard. He was almost 
ill from his agony of self-condemnation; and 
when the castle came into view, and he saw the 


158 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

solitary light burning in the sleeping-room of 
the Baroness, he longed to cry out to her of the 
danger approaching. He knew that she was 
watching for him and for the letter, and that, 
instead of the words of love from her husband 
being the comfort and assistance to her which 
they were intended to be, they had, by his 
agency, proved a snare ; but he knew that his 
voice could not reach her, and that any effort 
to give her warning would cost him his life. 

“Now, boy, we will visit the castle first, then 
the village ; and we want you to show us the 
way to the secret steps mentioned in the letter. 
We also wish to know how many entrances 
there are to the castle, and how many people 
are in it.” 

Tobias was compelled, at the point of the 
bayonet, to answer these questions, and to an- 
swer quickly, for the least hesitation was fol- 
lowed by blows and pushes that nearly knocked 
him off his feet. 

In a few minutes they were in front of the 
castle, and several sentinels were detailed to 
guard against surprises, while the others en- 
tered. They pried open the gate of the court- 
yard, then the entrance to the castle, and were 
masters of the situation. The frightened ser- 
vants, half clothed, gathered about the Baroness, 
who had her children clinging to her, scream- 


159 


An Attack hy Freebooters. 

ing with fright. Her chief fear was that Lila 
would have another attack of illness like that 
following the terror occasioned by the mask 
worn by von Seerhausen. 

“Take all, everything you can find,” said 
she, giving the keys into their hands, “but go 
away quickly, that my little ones may not die of 
terror.” And poor Tobias, standing among the 
men, felt such remorse as he prayed that he 
might never feel again. 


CHAPTEK XV. 

THE ALARM BELL 
HE freebooters were not long in telling 



the Baroness that there were other treas- 


ures in the castle than those which the keys 
would unlock, and in proof of it they told her 
the contents of her husband’s letter. 

In the meantime they had sent one of the 
servants of the castle to the village to tell the 
inhabitants that, if they would raise the sum of 
fifteen hundred dollars, their property should 
be spared; if not, the whole place would be 
rifled, and then set on fire. 

Tumult reigned in and about the castle. The 
soldiers threw themselves upon the handsome 
sofas and chairs, their dusty clothing and hob- 
nailed shoes making sad havoc of the richly- 
embroidered coverings. They ordered a meal 
to be served for them of the best that the larder 
contained, and what they did not eat they 
threw over the richly-carpeted floors. They 
ran their sabres through feather beds and 
cushions to see whether any treasures were 
concealed in them, and they broke handsome 
mirrors from pure love of destruction. The 


160 


The Alarm Bell. 


161 


castle resounded with singing, shouting, and 
whistling; and while the leader was lolling in 
a handsome reception chair, he was informed 
that a delegation of citizens was coming. 

“Ha! they had better come,” said he. “I 
was intending to wait half an hour longer, and, 
if the fifteen hundred dollars was not forth- 
coming, they would have seen a red hen on 
their roofs. Welcome, good friends,” he con- 
tinued, turning to the citizens. “I hope that 
you have agreed to our demands, for your own 
sakes as well as ours.” 

“Herr Officer,” said the mild voice of Pastor 
Seeback, “I beg of you, in the name of man- 
hood and religion, to believe me when I say 
that in the whole village it is impossible to 
raise the sum that you demand. You know as 
well as I that in war times no one has much 
money by him ; and there are no wealthy peo- 
ple in Raundorf. I have brought eight hun- 
dred and sixty-four dollars, and many of us 
have given all that we had. I hope that you 
will call to mind your mothers, your wives, and 
your children, and will leave this home, where 
you are causing terror to the lady and her 
children. To protect helpless women and httle 
ones is always the duty of strong men, particu- 
larly of soldiers.” 

“Oh, save your words, Herr Black-coat; we 
11 


162 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

did not come here to listen to preaching; we 
came to plunder. Give out the money that you 
have brought, and go back for the balance, or 
it will go hard with your village. Now be off.” 

“I wish to remind you, Herr Officer, that the 
day has gone past when we can be attacked in 
our homes by barbarians,” said the pastor, 
fearlessly. “I also wish to say that, if you 
carry out your threat, the report of such an 
outrage will not only ring through Germany, 
but throughout the whole of Europe ; and that, 
to repel such atrocities, the citizens are per- 
fectly justifiable in taking up arms to extermi- 
nate you; and with that necessity we extermi- 
nate all hope of doing away with our immense 
standing army that ” 

“Be silent!” roared the freebooter, “if you 
have any regard for your life,” and he seized 
his pistol from the table before him. “ The 
Herr Black-coat should remember that it is to 
protect, him and his peaceful citizens that sol- 
diers voluntarily risk their lives, and eat black 
break, and drink water out of a field flask, 
while he and his peaceful citizens sit at home, 
count their dollars, eat of the best, and smoke 
their pipes. It is one of the rights of war to 
destroy all we can in an enemy’s country, and 
we are taking advantage of the right. Your 
Herr Baron is an officer, and no doubt is doing, 


The Alarm Bell. 


163 


in what he considers the enemy’s country, just 
what we are doing here. Here, you people! 
Go tell your lady I Avish to see her again; if 
she will pay the balance of the fifteen hundred 
dollars we will go ; if not, we will fire the 
place.” 

Old Peter went to summon his mistress, and 
she came looking very pale and anxious, her 
children clinging to her dress. But before the 
leader had time to speak, a tall, pale figure with 
an officer’s cloak thrown about him appeared 
in the open door of an adjoining apartment, 
who would have reminded Tobias, had he been 
there to see it, of Herr von Seerhausen when 
dressed as a spectre. 

“ Your name, comrade,” said Lieutenant von 
Schonfeld, for it was he who had arisen from 
his sick-bed in order to be what help he could 
to the Baroness and the others; “are you an 
officer, or merely leader to a band of robbers ? ” 

“ How dare you say that to me ? Do you 
know that weaker words than those have cost 
life?” 

“ If you act the part of robbers you should 
not be ashamed of the name,” replied the 
Lieutenant, calmly, eyeing the pistol which the 
other had grasped. 

“ Who is it that dares to speak to me in that 
manner? ” 


164 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

“ My name is Benno von Schonfeld.” 

With an exclamation of joy the leader sprang 
to his feet, and throwing his arm about von 
Schonfeld led him to a seat. 

“Benno, don’t you know von Sichenan, your 
old cadet-comrade, who was heart and soul 
your friend ? ” 

“We were friends ; but ask yourself, can we 
be so longer, you an enemy of our Father- 
land?” 

“ Now, Schonfeld, don’t condemn me un- 
heard. You know I was always a Avild boy, 
but not a wicked one, and you also know that 
I went into the regiment with Harold, the son 
of our colonel, because he was a dear friend of 
mine in the military school. But his father 
was so severe with me that I asked for my dis- 
charge, and joined the king’s troops. At the 
breaking out of the present war the Baron von 
Liickburg raised a corps of volunteers, and I 
became its captain ; while in the emperor’s 
service I was only lieutenant.” 

“ But you are fighting against your Father- 
land, and against your brother, Arthur, who is 
in my regiment,” answered von Schonfeld. 

“Yes, but when I joined the king’s troops 
the monarchs were friendly. That they are now 
enemies is no more my fault than it is Arthur’s. 
Should I meet him in battle I should forget my 


TKq Alarm Bell. 


165 


duty as a soldier, and be the loving brother 
that I have always been to him.” 

“Ton and your men have brought destruc- 
tion into this beautiful home,” said von Schon- 
feld, looking about him, “have frightened a 
noble lady and her children, have brought me 
out of my sick-bed, and insulted the pastor, 
who has been the best friend in the world to 
me, for he has brought me to my Saviour ; you 
have plundered and ” 

“ Hush, hush, Benno,” interrupted the leader, 
“ you must remember that my boys are all vol- 
unteers in my service and would go through 
fire and water for me. They are brave boys, 
afraid of nothing; we have made a mistake, 
that is all, and are willing to do what we can 
to rectify it. But I cannot deprive them en- 
tirely of the rich booty which I have promised 
them, but all that is in my power to do I will 
do. Ho, Lehmann! Call our people, and tell 
them to gather here, I wish to speak to them.” 

They came from every part of the castle 
where they had been ransacking for treasures, 
their sabres clattering as they ran, and touch- 
ing their caps to the lady and to their captain, 
waited for him to speak. 

“ Boys, I am sorry to say that by our intru- 
sion here we have frightened a gentle lady and 
her children, and brought my dear old friend. 


166 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

Lieutenant von Sclionfeld, from his sick-bed, to 
the endangering of his life. I feel deeply sorry 
for this, as no doubt you do also, and I know 
that you will do what you can to help me make 
amends. I know that it would not be keeping 
my word with you not to allow you any returns 
from this expedition, but I think you will agree 
with me that under the circumstances we should 
be satisfied with less than what we intended to 
take. Therefore I propose that the eight hun- 
dred and sixty-four dollars be divided among 
you equally, I giving up all share in it; and 
that we only keep the money that has been 
found in the castle, in which I shall also receive 
no share ; the plate, jewels, and other valuables 
to be restored to their places. Are you sat- 
isfied?” 

“Yes, yes,” shouted the men, tossing up their 
caps, “hurrah for our brave captain, hurrah! 
hurrah 1 ” 

“Are you satisfied with me now, von Schon- 
feld ? ” inquired the leader, taking the hand of 
the lieutenant, “have I not done the best I 
could under the circumstances, will you not be 
friends with me again?” 

“Nothing but your promise to give up this 
terrible life of robbery can ever reconcile me to 
calling you friend, and ” 

Lieutenant von Schonfeld was interrupted by 


The Alarm Bell, 


167 


the sharp clanging of the alarm bell in the 
village, and captain and men sprang to their 
leet. 

“ Ha ! we are betrayed ! Who did it ? If 
we find him we will make him suffer for it!” 
and all rushed pell-mell out of the castle. 

‘‘Who is ringing the bell?” questioned the 
pastor of Peter, as he passed out of the castle 
on his way home. 

“Tobias,” was the reply. 

Clear and loud it clanged, Tobias and Gustav 
ringing turn about with as much vigor as if 
they expected to be well paid for it, for Tobias 
had left the castle in the midst of the tumult, 
had run through the beech forest and the 
meadow, and found Gustav leaning idly against 
the door-frame of his father’s cottage. 

“Why didn’t you run and tell the villagers 
and the Frau Baroness that the robbers were 
coming?” exclaimed he, indignantly, “then 
they would have found only four bare walls in 
every room they entered, and the kind Frau 
Baroness would have been saved a terrible 
fright. ’ 

“How did I know they were enemies?” 
questioned Gustav, “for I did not hang back 
as you did, but took to my heels and ran. I 
did fly to the castle and tell the Frau Baroness 
what had happened to us, but she did not be- 


168 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

lieve they were enemies, but only soldiers who 
had lost their way and were inquiring of you 
what direction to take in order to rejoin their 
comrades. But father said they might be 
enemies, and he would be on the safe side, so 
we buried all we had that was of any value, 
and drove our cattle down into the woods.” 

“ But you might have told the villagers and 
put them on their guard.” 

“I hadn’t time. It was as much as I could 
do to think of myself. Father says in time of 
war it is every man’s duty to look out for 
number one.” 

“Let us run to the tower and ring the alarm 
bell,” Tobias had said, and, although their ring- 
ing was like locking a stable after the horse 
was stolen, it served the purpose of hurrying 
the exit of the marauders. 


CHAPTEE XVI. • 

PRISONERS OF WAR. 

I T was some time before the castle could 
recover its serenity after the departure of 
the soldiers ; and the Baroness feared that it 
could never appear the same, so complete was 
the destruction of things she valued as keep- 
sakes and remembrancers of departed friends. 

But she had one great subject of congratula- 
tion, that no evil consequences had followed for 
her children ; and she was deeply grateful that 
Lieutenant von Schonfeld’s presence prevented 
greater loss, feeling that she had been richly 
rewarded for having him faithfully nursed dur- 
ing his illness. 

‘‘ He was, under God, your dehverer,” the Herr 
Pastor had said, when calling to see von Schon- 
feld the next day, “for I must believe that had 
it not been for him the castle would have been 
in ashes.” 

Poor Tobias, who was sitting by, felt this 
keenly; for he was conscious that the robbers 
would never have known of the castle had he 
not read the letter to them. What must the 
Baroness, what must Pastor Seeback, think of 
169 


170 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

him ? Dare he hope that the Baron would let 
him remain in the castle when he heard of it? 

A new pang had gone to his heart when he 
heard the Baroness tell Frau Kiickert that not 
a dollar was left ; and his joy was greater than 
hers when Sophie Kiickert came in -with a small 
package in her hand and gave it into the care 
of the Baroness, who, upon opening it, found 
it to be the money for which she had just been 
grieving. 

Sophie had kept her presence of mind when 
all was tumult and confusion ; and when the 
alarm bell rang, and all were rushing from 
the castle, the soldier who had the package 
of money dropped it, and Sophie promptly 
seized it and threw it into a closet, where she 
had just searched for it, never supposing it to 
be the money. 

“Another one whom you have helped, and 
who in turn has helped you,” said Pastor See- 
back, when she told him the circumstances. 
“You cast your bread upon the waters, and it 
is returning to you. Tobias must also rejoice 
that he rang the alarm bell, for if he had not 
the robbers would not have dropped their ill- 
gotten gains.” 

Tobias said nothing, but tears ran down his 
flushed cheeks. 

“ My boy, you must tell us the trouble,” said 


171 


Prisoners of War. 

the pastor, “it is natural that you should be 
excited and nervous, we are all more or less 
so, but it does not seem like you to be so cast 
down and discouraged, what is it that dis- 
tresses you?” 

“I have cause to be miserable,” replied 
Tobias, “if it had not been for me all this 
would never have happened. I am like Judas 
Iscariot, for I have betrayed my kind Frau 
Baroness into the hands of the enemy, and she 
has always been so good to me.” 

“Did you do it intentionally?” inquired the 
pastor. 

“Oh, no, but I might have refused to read 
the letter, even if they did threaten to kiU 
me,” and he told the whole story to the aston- 
ished Hsteners. 

“Now, Tobias,” said the Baroness, “don’t 
grieve another moment about it. If my hus- 
band is spared, and my Lila does not fall ill, I 
shall have nothing more to ask. Treasures of 
gold and silver are nothing in comparison to 
the lives and health of our dear ones, and I 
have every hope that both have so far es- 
caped.” 

“ Then you forgive me, dear Frau Baroness ? ” 

“ I have nothing to forgive ; you were in the 
robbers’ power, there was nothing left for you 
to do but to obey their commands.” 


172 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

“You have seen but a fragment of war, how 
do you like it, Tobias?” questioned Pastor 
Seeback. 

“ I don’t like it at all, it don’t seem to me 
that we can ever get right again.” 

“No, war is the development of all the evil 
in human nature. It makes murderers, robbers, 
and deceivers. German fighting against Ger- 
man, brother against brother, son against 
father, and father against son. Do you long 
to be a soldier, Tobias? ” 

“No, no, I have seen enough of war, and 
would not care if all the soldiers were in the 
bottom of the sea.” 

But that is not only very unjust, but very un- 
christianlike, for as a rule, in the Fatherland, 
only the officers are voluntary soldiers; and 
many of them rue, in time of peace, what they 
thought justifiable in time of war. Not to the 
soldiers must the blame be given, but to the 
causes which make them so.” 

Willing as were the pastor and Baroness to 
remove the blame from Tobias, he found the 
villagers anything but lenient toward him. 
They were incensed that through him they had 
lost their money, and the cry of traitor filled 
the air when he appeared among them. So 
disturbed was he at the change that he never 
went to the village if he could help it, but re- 


173 


Prisoners of War. 

mained at the castle amusing the children and 
doing all he could to help any one who needed 
his assistance. 

In the meantime war was raging, and the 
Eaundorf people were harassed with anxiety, 
and the quartering of soldiers, and there was no 
quietude to be found anywhere, the whole 
neighborhood being in turmoil. This was in- 
creased by the marching through the village of 
a large number of the enemy as prisoners of 
war, who, weaponless, footsore and weary, were 
surrounded by their captors. 

From dwellings, barns, gardens, and fields 
ran old and young to see the prisoners; and, 
to prove the change which war makes upon 
peaceful natures, the citizens taunted, threat- 
ened, scoffed at, and mocked the miserable 
captives, pelted them with clods, and refused 
their request for water to quench their thirst. 

In vain Pastor Seeback besought them to 
desist from this inhuman conduct, and remind- 
ed them that the prisoners were fellow-creat- 
ures whom the chances of war had placed at 
their mercy ; and that it was possible that the 
tide might turn, and that the village might fall 
into the hands of the enemy, in which case 
they could expect no favors. 

Schoolmaster Siebert also plead to deaf ears, 
his pupils believing that in time of war they 


174 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

could do as they pleased. Even Gustav taxed 
his ingenuity to harass the prisoners, and he 
snatched a piece of wood from a lame soldier, 
who was using it as a staff. 

“Oh, shame!” cried Tobias, who had been a 
witness of the act. “I would not have believed 
such a thing of you, Gustav ; I will not go with 
you any more.” 

“Neither will I go with you, you Judas, you 
traitor!” retorted Gustav, defiantly. 

Tobias, nothing daunted, flew to the assist- 
ance of the crippled soldier, picked up the 
stick, and put it into his hand ; and to the re- 
quest for water, he ran to the village pump, 
and soon returned with a full pitcher of pure, 
cold water. 

“Thank you, thank you, my boy! May you 
never want for a drink and be unable to get 
it!” said the man, after quenching his thirst 
and passing along the pitcher to other eager 
hands. 

The heart of Tobias thrilled with sorrow that 
any one should suffer from thirst where water 
was so plentiful, and he carried pitcherful after 
pitcherful, until the procession was nearer to 
the castle than to the village ; then he ran on 
ahead and told the Baroness of their hunger 
and thirst, and she gave orders that all the 
provisions that could be supplied in the castle 


Prisoners of War. 175 

should be taken out to them, Tobias being her 
almoner. 

They had scarcely eaten and departed, call- 
ing down blessings upon her and Tobias, when 
some of the villagers gathered in the court-yard 
of the castle, and loudly denounced the action 
of the Baroness in thus befriending the enemies 
of her country. “If the Frau Baroness had 
more provisions than she knew what to do 
with, let her distribute them to the people whom 
the treachery of Tobias had robbed,” they said, 
“and not to those who came to destroy us.” 
But the Baroness made no reply ; she had only 
done her duty, and her conscience was void of 
offence. 

It was not long before the warnings of Pastor 
Seeback and the schoolmaster were brought to 
the memory of the citizens, for their village was 
in the possession of the enemy, and hearts beat 
anxiously at the remembrance of the treatment 
of the prisoners. But two weeks passed, and 
no revenge had been taken for the indignities 
heaped upon them, when one day a company 
of the enemy’s troops rode through the village^ 
and the villagers looked into each others faces- 
in dismay. But the cavalrymen did not seem 
to pay any attention to their excitement, but- 
laid siege to all the provisions found in cellars 
and pantries, killed cattle, sheep and poultry, 


176 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

making themselves very much at home. As 
they provided for themselves, so did they for 
their horses, and the best the neighborhood 
afforded, in the way of grain and other feed, 
was taken without asking leave or giving a 
word of thanks. 

“ Oh, my good dragoon,” said the father of 
Gustav, as he saw his two fine cows about to 
be driven off, “ spare them to me, for they are 
all I have for the support of my wife and chil- 
dren. If you would go to the castle you would 
find far finer ones. The Frau Baroness has 
forty-four cows in fine condition, and would not 
miss all of them as I would my two, for she is 
rich.” 

“Don’t excite yourself, friend,” replied the 
soldier, coolly, “a bird in the hand is worth 
two on the roof. Why need we trouble our- 
selves to go to the castle when you have what 
suits us ? ” 

“You need not go so far,” said Gottlob, “the 
Herr Pastor has two fine cows grazing in the 
Baron’s meadows ; he is far abler to lose them 
than I am ; pray leave mine and take his.” 

“Very good and unselfish in you, my friend,” 
replied the dragoon, ironically, “but your 
cattle suit us exactly, so why put yourself 
to any trouble to recommend others ? ” and 
xiway they rode, driving Gottlob’s two cows. 


177 


Prisoners of War, 

which action they kindly informed him was 
called foraging. 

The enemy remained for some time in the 
neighborhood, and the people were deprived 
of all their stock, provisions and fuel, and 
starvation stared them in the face. They were 
so despairing that they no longer appeared like 
themselves; the minister preached to almost 
empty benches, the scholars never went near 
the school, but roamed idly about the en- 
emy’s camp, listening to the singing of songs 
and telling of stories by the soldiers; the 
once peaceful place was completely demor- 
ahzed. 

At length, when no more provisions were to 
be had, they commenced persecuting the vil- 
lagers to make them give up the money they 
had secreted. In their despair, the Eaundorf 
people called upon a neighboring village to 
come and attack the enemy, they did so, 
and several of the cavalrymen were Idlled and 
wounded. But the victory was of short dura- 
tion, for a larger company of the enemy came 
and made an attack upon the aggressive vil- 
lage and burned it to the ground. 

The village of Eaundorf would have shared 
the same fate had it not been for the pleadings 
of Pastor Seeback and the schoolmaster; it 
was spared, and a short time after the cavalry- 
12 


178 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

men were withdrawn, leaving truly a desert 
waste behind them. 

The Baroness was untiring in her efforts to 
help the poor people who had lost their all, 
and shared her food, and provided clothing for 
every one who came to her for assistance. 


CHAPTEE XVIJ. 

LETTERS FOR THE BARON. 

T he people of Eaundorf were in a pitiable 
condition after the departure of the sol- 
diers, the whole world seemed changed to them, 
and they felt very little interest in life. The 
church bell rang upon the Sabbath, but well- 
clothed people did not come from every direc- 
tion as formerly to listen to the sermon. The 
few who came were ill-dressed, sad, despondent 
and miserable, too stupified by their losses to 
heed the words which fell from their pastor’s 
lips. 

The organ pealed forth its notes under the 
skilful fingers of the schoolmaster, but no choir 
of sweet voices gave praises to God as formerly, 
and the pastor dreaded hearing the echo of his 
voice in the once well-filled church. 

No more, of evenings, sat contented house- 
wives at the doors of their dwellings, knitting in 
hand, and chatting with their neighbors. No 
more did old Boaz drive the village sheep to 
and from the meadow, nor Leise, the goose- 
herder, sing merrily among her quacking brood, 
but instead, she searched about the village 
for something to appease her hunger, happy if 
179 


180 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

she found a raw potato which had been dropped 
unnoticed by the soldiers. The granaries were 
empty of food, the stalls of cattle ; the pahngs 
were torn from barn-yards, fences from fields, 
and gates and doors from dwellings to be used 
as fuel, and from many houses the shingle roofs 
were taken for the same purpose. The people 
sat idly about, having no means whereby to 
repair the ravages of war. 

The family plate and jewels of the castle had 
been taken to Berlin and placed in the care 
of some friends of the Baroness, who be- 
sought her to come and remain with them 
until times grew better, but she would not leave 
the people in their distress, but stayed that she 
might help them in their need. 

She was grateful that her children had not 
suffered from the fright occasioned by the at- 
tack of the freebooters, and was happy to see 
them playing joyously in the covered walk and 
grounds of the castle, watched over by the 
faithful Sophie. 

Lieutenant von Schonfeld, though suffering 
somewhat from the exposure and fatigue of his 
encounter with the freebooters, was forced to 
leave the castle, fearing that he would be taken 
prisoner by the enemy, and was strongly advised 
by his physician to go to the mineral baths, 
and did so ; and in his place the Baroness had 


Letters for the Baron, 181 

prevailed upon Pastor Seeback and bis wife 
and little grandchildren to come to the castle 
as company and protection for her, and all were 
happier by being together. 

Since the country was in possession of the 
enemy, the Baroness had received no reliable 
news from her husband, nor of the condition 
of the main army, the report being spread and 
believed by many that it had been vanquished, 
and a great number taken prisoners. 

“ If I could only get a trusty messenger who 
would walk to the encampment and bring us a 
letter from my husband’s own hand, I should 
feel like another person,” said the Baroness, 
one day at dinner, to her guests; “but, as it is, 
I feel wretchedly anxious.” 

These words were an inspiration to Tobias, 
for he saw in them an opportunity to atone for 
his betrayal of the castle into the hands of the 
enemy; and it was, moreover, an opportunity 
to see the Baron and to tell him all that had 
transpired. 

“Nothing can happen to me worse than the 
insults that I receive when I go to the village,” 
thought he. “ I will ask the Frau Baroness to 
let me go.” 

His delight was great when she gave imme- 
diate consent, and in great glee he made his 
arrangements to go the next morning. 


182 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

All the balance of the afternoon the Baroness 
passed in writing to her husband, and the pas- 
tor likewise wrote a long, kind letter, knowing 
that every bit of news, no matter how trivial, 
would be appreciated. Both letters were then 
sewed into the lining of Tobias’s coat, which 
was old and shabby, as was all his clothing, it 
being less hkely to attract the attention of the 
enemy. The money for his traveling expenses 
was sewed into the hems of his trousers ; and 
the pastor gave him advice as to his demeanor 
toward friends or enemies, that there might be 
no unpleasant adventures in his undertaking. 

With a heart thrilling with pleasure over the 
great expedition, he left the castle, and when 
he reached an elevation some distance away, 
he turned and gazed at the stately castle of 
Baundorf, then at the village, the tall church- 
steeple, and the quiet church-yard. 

“Grandfather,” said he to himself, “it seems 
a long time since you left us, and we have seen 
trouble, and fear that there is more to come.” 

As he plodded along upon his journey he 
saw on every side the devastation which war 
had made. He had many dangers to confront, 
and met with several hair-breadth escapes ; but 
he became convinced, as he proceeded, that the 
enemy were not the victorious conquerors that 
they had been supposed to be before he left 


183 


Letters for the Baron, 

home, for they had lost as many battles as they 
had won, and, while their troops were upon 
the emperor’s territory, the troops of the em- 
peror were upon theirs. Both encampments 
were surrounded by fortifications, and were at 
any hour expecting an attack, one apparently 
waiting for the other. 

Tobias reached the emperor’s encampment 
just as wagons were coming in with provisions, 
for the contending armies had devoured every- 
thing within reach, and now edibles had to be 
brought from a long distance. Tobias won- 
dered, if eighty thousand men could consume 
that amount in one day, what must be the 
quantity required by all the people in the world 
for the same length of time, to say nothing of 
provender for millions, bilhons, and trillions of 
animals; and from this thought he turned to 
that of admiration of the quietude in which 
corn grows into the perfect ear, and fruit upon 
the trees, and bulbs in the ground; and then, 
when ready for use and in people’s possession, 
what a noise was made in preparing them for 
use, people not being able to grind a little corn 
without great hubbub and clatter. 

As he went further into camp he was per- 
plexed to know the position of the regiment in 
which the Baron von Kaundorf was to be found. 
He passed hundreds of tents of the soldiers. 


184 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

Poor little places they appeared to him, not 
much protection against rain, nor as comfort- 
able in any way as the poorest cottage of the 
working people. The tents of the officers were 
somewhat larger, but had very few comforts. 
The emperor commanded his troops in person, 
and his tent, in the middle of the encampment, 
was by far the finest that Tobias had seen, re- 
minding him of the castle in comparison with 
the dwellings of the peasants. 

There was a great stir about the tent of the 
emperor, officers going in and out, and cou- 
riers flying in different directions with messages. 
It was before this tent that Tobias saw Baron 
von Raundorf standing amid a group of young 
officers, and in his joy the boy forgot his rag- 
ged clothing, and pressed forward to speak to 
the Baron. 

“See here! who is this ragged urchin that 
has gotten into camp ? ” questioned one of the 
officers. “Stand back, boy! back! back!” 

“I came to see the Herr Baron von Raun- 
dorf, and I must speak with him,” said Tobias, 
bravely. “ I have brought him letters from the 
Frau Baroness and our dear pastor.” 

“What is it?” exclaimed the Baron, step- 
ping forward at the mention of his own name. 
“Who is the boy, and what does he wish?” 

“O Herr Baron, don’t you know me. To- 


Letters for the Baron, 185 

bias Troft? I came from Baundorf to bring 
letters, which I was to deliver into your own 
hand.” 

“O heavenly Father, I thank thee!” cried 
the Baron, looking upward, with tears of joy 
in his eyes. “My Amalie, my children — tell 
me, Tobias, that they are well.” 

“Yes, well, all well, only anxious about you. 
The gracious Frau Baroness, and little Otto 
and Lila, pray every night and morning for 
your safe return, and so do I. And the Herr 
Pastor and his wife and grandchildren are at 
the castle, and we all talk every day about you.” 

The boy could say no more, for the Baron 
took him in his arms, pressed him to his heart, 
and kissed his forehead. 

“ And the servants, they all stayed with their 
mistress during these terrible times?” 

“ Yes ; Peter and Bertha and Bosamond are 
all there, Frau Biickert and her daughter 
Sophie.” 

Then Tobias took off his coat, and with the 
aid of the Baron’s pocket-knife the stitches 
were cut, and the letters delivered into his 
hand. He kissed the letter of the Baroness, 
broke the seal and read eagerly to the close, 
then again, slowly and carefully. 

“Dear Amalie,” he said, as he folded the 
missive and put it in the breast-pocket of his 


186 


Christian Beck's Grandson. 


coat, “how bravely she has borne all the 
troubles which w^ar has brought upon her.” 

Then he went to his tent, taking Tobias with 
him, and giving orders to his servant to set 
the best the place afforded before the weary 
boy, he sat down to read the letter of the pastor. 

Tobias enjoyed the meal thoroughly, and 
feeling much refreshed-, gave the Baron the 
news of the whole neighborhood, even to the 
welfare of old Boaz and Leise, and his listener 
was never weary. 

Then it was decided that it were better that 
the boy should leave the encampment the next 
morning, as there was every expectation of a 
battle being fought. 

Tobias expressed his willingness to go that 
evening if the Baron thought it wiser, but Herr 
von Eaundorf told him that he wished to write 
letters to send back, and could not have the 
time during the afternoon as he had commands 
to fulfil for the emperor, and that it would give 
Tobias one night to rest before setting out 
upon the long walk home. 

So the boy took a walk through the camp, 
and chatted with the soldiers, and when even- 
ing came he returned to the Baron’s tent, partook 
of a comfortable supper, and lay down in a 
corner of it, and in a few minutes was fast 
asleep. 


CHAPTEE XVIIL 

DISOBEDIENCE TO OBDERS. 

I T was night, so cloudy and dark that one 
could see nothing a few steps away, and the 
great encampment of the emperor lay shrouded 
in gloom, resembling a cemetery, the white 
tents barely discernible and then only by one 
standing very near. 

There was not the faintest glimmer of a light 
to be seen in any part of the encampment, no 
camp-fire, no call of a sentinel on duty. 

One would have supposed that there was no 
occasion for vigilance, and that every soldier 
was in a deep sleep ; no footstep was heard, no 
shadow glided between the rows of tents, no 
voice broke the stillness. 

The Baron von Eaundorf had, at the usual 
time of retiring, laid down beside Tobias, but 
sleep was never farther from his eyelids. On a 
camp-chest beside him was a picture of his 
wife and children, the object upon which his 
^ast gaze rested at night and the first in the 
morning. The tidings brought by Tobias had 
made them seem very near, and he hoped 
and prayed that they were sleeping peace- 
187 


188 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

fully in the distant castle, beyond the reach of 
danger. 

He laid silently revolving in his mind the 
shortest manner in which he could express all 
he wished to say in his letter to his Amalie, 
then rising he went to the entrance of the tent, 
parted the opening and looked out. All was 
quiet, and going to his chest he took out a 
taper, lighted it and set it on the ground, while he 
pinned securely the entrance to the tent, and 
hung an army-blanket over it. This done, he 
set the taper on the chest, got out his writing 
materials, and commenced the letter to his loved 
ones. Rapidly his pen glided over the paper, 
and so absorbed was he in his task that he 
saw nothing, heard nothing, until a heavy hand 
was laid upon his shoulder. 

“Mercy, your Majesty!” cried he, turning 
deadly pale, and dropping upon his knees he 
stretched imploring hands toward the stately 
form that towered above him. 

“Did you hear my command this evening 
that not a glimmer of light was to be seen in 
the whole encampment?” questioned the em- 
peror, sternly. 

“Yes, your Majesty, I knew it, but I received 
a letter from my wife, who is suffering the bit- 
terest anxiety for me, and I felt it my duty to try 
to comfort her ; I am a husband and father — ” 


Disobedience to Orders. 


189 


‘‘And a soldier,”* intermpted the emperor, 
“and obedience to orders is the first law, and 
must go before everything else. We are striv- 
ing for a glorious victory in our coming battle, 
hope to save the lives of thousands of our men, 
and perhaps bring the war speedily and happily 
to a close. For this purpose I gave orders that 
not the faintest glimmer of a light should be 
had in any part of the encampment, under pen- 
alty of death. I wished to mislead the enemy 
into making an attack, and to find us fully pre- 
pared. This plaji you have frustrated by your 
insolent disobedience of orders.” 

“ But, your Majesty, it is impossible that the 
enemy could see the glimmer of this little 
taper at such a distance, and your Majesty 
sees that a heavy blanket is over the entrance.” 

“ Your name and rank, Herr Officer ? ” 

“ Baron Carl von Kaundorf ; and I am cap- 
tain in the cavalry.” 

“ Open your letter again, Herr Captain, and 
tell your wife that to-morrow morning at nine 
o’clock you will be shot for disobedience to 
orders.” 

“ Mercy, mercy, your Majesty,” implored 
the Baron, with pale lips. “I care not for 
myself, but for my innocent wife and children. 
It will add to her grief that her anxiety for me 
has been my death.” 


190 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

“Are you intending to* disobey me again, 
Herr Officer? ” questioned the emperor, coldly. 

“ I would gladly shed my blood for my em- 
peror and my Fatherland, but do not let me 
die the death of a criminal,” said the unhappy 
man. 

“ Write as I have said,” commanded the 
emperor. 

The unfortunate young officer dipped the 
pen in the ink, and cast another look into the 
stern face above him, but seeing no sign of 
relenting, he wrote the words which would 
carry anguish to the loving heart far away. 

The emperor took the letter, glanced over 
the lines, and calling a guard to watch over 
the condemned officer he left the tent. 

Daylight was just dawning when three of the 
superior officers were gathered in the tent of 
the General who commanded the regiment to 
which belonged Baron von Baundorf. 

“The only word to be given him is to fall 
upon his face when he hears the report of the 
musket,” was the command of the General, in a 
low whisper, and the secret council ended, and 
the other officers sought their tents. 

During all this Tobias slept peacefully, and 
when the sun arose he awoke and dressed, 
chatting gaily to the Baron, who sat pale and 
silent in the tent, then went out to take a 


Disobedience to Orders. 


191 


further view of the encampmeut. He noticed 
that every face looked sad, but attributed it to 
the expectation of a near attack from the 
enemy. He had taken a long walk and was 
about returning to breakfast when he over- 
heard words which almost caused his heart to 
cease to beat. 

“He was writing to his wife, poor fellow,’* 
said one old soldier, with tears of sympathy in 
his eyes, “the last he will ever write to her or 
to any one.” 

“ It is hard that such a brave officer as Cap- 
tain von Kaundorf should lose his life for just 
lighting a taper that could not be seen six feet 
away.” 

“You speak like an idiot, comrade,” an- 
swered an old Hussar, “it was not the taper, 
but the disobedience ; it is not when and how 
a person sins, but that he does sin. Adam and 
Eve ate but one apple, but they disobeyed God 
just the same as if they had eaten all that were 
on the tree, and not only they, but the whole 
race are punished for their disobedience. If I 
pass a sentinel with a cigar in my mouth I am 
punished for it just the same as if I enter- 
the powder magazine with it; I have disobeyed 
orders and deserve to suffer for it. In time of: 
war there are things looked upon as crimes; 
which in time of peace would be only triflesJ* 


192 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

These words had no meaning for Tobias, he 
had only heard the terrible news that the 
Baron was to die. He walked mechanically 
back to the tent and sat down in silence, 
numbed and stupified by the overwhelming 
calamity which he was to witness, for he 
determined to remain until after the fatal 
hour. 

The last act of the Baron was to give Tobias 
the letter, and money for his return, and some 
keepsakes for his wife and little ones. The 
heart of the boy was rent with the thought 
that by his well-meant effort to relieve the 
anxiety of the Baroness he had brought this 
bitter woe upon her; and he prayed, oh! so 
earnestly, that something, even at the last 
minute, might occur to save the life so dear to 
all who knew him. 

But the ninth hour drew on, and the officers 
of the regiment to which the Baron belonged 
gathered in front of his tent, conversing now 
and then, but always in whispers. The chap- 
lain of the regiment was with the doomed man 
to receive the last wishes and the blessed assur- 
ance that there was no fear of death, all was 
peace as far as concerned the beyond, the 
young officer had given his heart to the Saviour 
years before and had nothing to fear. 

The sound of muffied drums smote upon the 


Disobedience to Orders. 


193 


ear, and the Baron was led from his tent, fol- 
lowed by the weeping Tobias. 

“Oh, will no one plead for him?” said he, 
“surely God would be more merciful than this 
hard-hearted king.” 

“See here, boy, you are speaking against 
your emperor,” said a rough voice near him, 
and turning he saw a soldier who was wiping 
his tears away with the sleeve of his coat. 

The Baron was told to kneel, that the black 
cloth might be tied over his eyes, and at the 
same moment Tobias knelt and stretched his 
arms imploringly toward heaven. 

“Oh, dear Saviour,” cried he, “come and 
save him from death! he is too good to die 
for such a little evil.” 

The cloth being adjusted, another officer 
stepped forward and pinned a bunch of wild 
flowers on the breast of the Baron. 

“ Fall forward when you hear the report of 
the musket,” whispered he. 

The Baron trembled from head to foot, and 
was about to speak, but the officer’s hand was 
pressed heavily, as though by accident, upon his 
shoulder. 

“ Don’t speak,” whispered he, “ you will at- 
tract attention.” 

Tobias was in an agony of grief and terror, 
but could not take his eyes from the terrible 
13 


194 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

scene. He heard the word “ fire ! ” saw the 
Baron fall forward upon his face, and knew no 
more. 

When he regained consciousness the servant 
of the Baron told him that the moment they 
heard the report of the musket and saw the 
Baron fall, two officers stepped to him and 
carried him quickly to a waiting ambulance, 
and drove rapidly away. 

The story was ended, there was no more to 
be learned by remaining, so Tobias left the 
camp and set out for his long walk to the 
castle. 


CHAPTEK XIX. 

THE HIDDEN LETTER. 

O N his way home Tobias compared his feel- 
ings with those which he had experienced 
when traveling the same road, but in an oppo- 
site direction. In his anxiety and distress of 
mind he had neglected to put the letter for the 
Baroness in the place where he had carried the 
one for the Baron, and seating himself under 
the shade of an apple tree, he took off his coat 
and placed the letter between the linings, secur- 
ing it with a pin. 

He had not replaced his coat when he heard 
footsteps, and glancing up he saw a country- 
man approaching. 

“Have you heard the news, boy ? ” questioned 
he, eagerly, “there has been a terrible battle 
fought between the main armies ; and the empe- 
ror’s troops won the victory, and people say the 
war will be over. Oh, thank God! thank God!” 

“If my poor Herr Baron could have lived 
but two days longer he would have shared in 
the victory, and would soon have been at the 
castle with his wife and children,” said Tobias, 
bitterly. 


195 


196 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

“Maybe so, maybe so,” replied the country- 
man, “there were thousands killed, and he 
might have been among them. The king’s 
troops made an attack upon the emperor’s and 
were repelled ; three times they advanced with 
like result, and people say that more than 
twenty thousand were killed and double as 
many wounded. The king should have taken 
the advice of his councilors and not made war 
with the emperor, for it is a chance if he has 
not only lost territory but his crown ; and then 
so many hves lost, and so much property de- 
stroyed. It is an old saying, ‘ in peace enjoy, 
in war destroy.’” 

“Yes, I have seen that with my own eyes,” 
replied Tobias, as he called to mind Kaundorf 
in the days when no war was rife in the land. 

The man having given his information, passed 
on to impart it to others whom he might meet, 
and Tobias arose, put on his coat, and pro- 
ceeded on his way. He had not used the 
caution in avoiding the outposts of the enemy 
that he did in going, and had gone but a short 
distance when he was called upon to halt by 
two soldiers, who asked him who he was and 
where going. 

Tobias thinking that all danger to the Baron 
was now over, made no secret of his errand, 
but did not mention the letter in his coat. 


The Hidden Letter. 


197 


“Let me see what is in your pocket, boy,” 
said one of them. “ Ha, I hear paper crinkling, 
hand out your letter, and let us read it. ” 

Tobias refused, and clasped his arm more 
firmly over the coat and its contents. 

“Here is a spy!” cried one of them, “even a 
child carrying news to the enemy, but children 
can hang as well as their elders. We will take 
him to our Lieutenant, he will soon bring him 
to terms.” 

They tied his hands behind him and marched 
him into camp. 

“You had better make your will, son. We 
will make short work of you if we find that our 
suspicions are correct.” 

Tobias by this adventure realized that life 
was sweet, and, notwithstanding the sorrow he 
had seen in the world, he was not wilHng to 
quit it ; and he did not know what turn affairs 
might take, for he had very httle confidence in 
the justice of war times ; yet he determined not to 
despond, but to put a brave face upon the affair. 

“ When the officer reads my letter he will see 
that I am no spy,” said he. 

“Maybe so, boy, but war makes people 
shrewd, and they know ways to find out what 
is not intended for them to know. Sometimes 
spies carry letters which read all right and in- 
nocently; but hold them over hot coals, and 


198 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

between the lines is the real news that the spy 
is carrying. Invisible ink is a fine thing in 
time of war, if the enemy has never heard of 
the way to make it show up.” 

“There is nothing between these lines; you 
can hold the letter over as many hot coals as 
you choose.” 

“That isn’t our business; we catch the bird, 
and the officer picks him ; our duty is done 
when we put a spy into his hands.” 

“He can write to the Frau Baroness, or to 
the commander of the regiment in which our 
Herr Baron was, and he v/ill find out that I am 
telling the truth.” 

Both soldiers laughed at this, and looked 
with a glance of surprise at the boy, who had 
so little knowledge of the usages of war. 

“Do you imagine that in these times there is 
as much red tape in hunting up evidence against 
an evil-doer as in a court? No, indeed! This 
morning we catch a spy; this afternoon he 
swings ; that is war.” 

“Yes, it is; the terrible, horrible, wicked 
war, that from beginning to end has nothing 
but evil for the people.” 

“Yes, but we soldiers can’t help that. We 
are here to kill or to be killed, and we do our 
best to kill in order to save ourselves from be- 
ing killed.” 


The Hidden Letter, 


199 


By this time they had reached the quarters 
of the Lieutenant, and the soldiers explained 
their errand. The Lieutenant was young and 
full of enthusiasm, and was, therefore, anxious 
for ways and means to distinguish himself. 

“A spy!” said he, eagerly, ‘‘and has a letter 
fastened securely in his coat! Come from the 
headquarters of the enemy! That is certainly 
suspicious. I will take him to the command- 
ing General.” 

“Herr Lieutenant, do you really believe me 
to be a spy ? You know me ; you also saw the 
Frau Baroness, and you know that I am tell- 
ing the truth when I say that this letter is the 
last one that her husband, the Herr Baron, will 
ever write, for he is dead.” 

“But, boy,” said the bewildered Lieutenant, 
“ how can I know you or the Frau Balron- 
ess ? ” 

“Do not you remember, Herr Lieutenant, 
passing through Raundorf with many other 
prisoners, and Gustav took your crutch from 
you and threw it away, and I picked it up and 
gaVe it to you? And don’t you remember that 
I took you into the castle yard, and that the 
gracious Frau Baroness gave me leave to take 
out for the poor prisoners all the provisions 
that were in the castle ? ” 

“Yes, yes, I do indeed remember. And are 


200 Christian Beck's Grandsoji. 

you the boy that did that, and that gave many 
of us water to drink out of a pitcher?” 

“ Yes, I am the boy. And now you can read 
the letter, and can hold it over hot coals ; and 
if there is anything between the lines, you can 
hang me for a spy. The poor Herr Baron only 
thought of his wife and children when he was 
writing that.” 

The officer took the letter and read it through, 
his face growing sadder and sadder, and when 
he read the last lines his face turned a shade 
paler, and tears filled his eyes. 

“Poor fellow!” said he. “Was he really 
shot? Did the emperor never countermand 
the order?” 

“No. I saw him fall. He was shot down 
like a dog, for burning a little taper that the 
men said you could not see a few yards from 
the tent; but they said that it was just.” 

“Yes, for he disobeyed orders; that is a ter- 
rible offence in time of war.” 

“ Yes ; but I cannot see what war is for, ex- 
cept to bring misery into the world.” 

“Yes, boy, war is a bad thing, but it appears 
that everybody fights, civilized or uncivilized; 
even animals have their wars.” 

“But they have no religion, no understand- 
ing. Our pastor says that, if we were more like 
Christ, there would be no war. Christ preached 


The Hidden Letter, 


201 


against it, but we don’t obey bis word as sol- 
diers do their officers.” 

“I remember that good pastor of Raundorf. 
He plead with the citizens not to molest us. 
I remember, too, the Frau Baroness and her 
goodness to us. I will go to our commander, 
and tell him that you are no spy, but a good, 
kind boy, who helped us when we were in need 
of help. While I am gene with the letter you 
must have something to eat. Here, Appolo- 
nius, bring my guest that roast chicken, and 
make him a cup of good coffee.” 

“What a change!” thought Tobias, as he sat 
down to a generous meal. “Instead of being 
hung as a spy, I am treated to the best that he 
has, and that best is very good to anybody, 
and especially to a hungry boy. The little 
kindness that I showed him has been returned 
a hundredfold, for it may be that it has saved 
my hfe. But I cannot see that the dear Herr 
Baron and Frau Baroness are being rewarded 
for their goodness. They seem to have had 
much trouble, and now his life is lost for a 
trifle. There are some things that I cannot 
understand. I must ask the Herr Pastor about 
this when I see him.” 

He had scarcely finished his meal when the 
Lieutenant returned. 

“It is all right,” said he, “and the com- 


202 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

mander advises you not to secrete the letter, 
but to carry it loosely in your pocket, and thus 
avoid further detention, and perhaps danger. 
Give my kindest regards to the gracious Baron- 
ess, and tell her that none of the prisoners will 
ever forget her goodness to them.” 

‘‘I wish that you had been emperor,” said 
Tobias, earnestly, “ and I am sure that our dear 
Herr Baron would now be alive.” 

He bade good-bye to the heutenant, and, 
much refreshed by the rest that he had enjoyed 
and the good meal that he had eaten, set out 
again upon his walk. 


CHAPTEK XX. 

GREAT CHANGES. 

T obias traveled all that day and the next, 
and toward the middle of the afternoon 
the turrets of the castle came in view, then the 
village of Eaundorf, and the church steeple, 
then the window in the belfry-tower, from 
which he and his grandfather had so often 
looked. 

He missed the sound of the lowing of cows, 
the bleating of sheep and goats, the cackling of 
geese, the joyous singing of shepherd boys and 
maidens, and the shouts of merry children. 

‘‘All is sad and changed about here,” thought 
he, “nothing seems the same since the war; 
but what is the change to the Frau Baroness 
in comparison to this new trouble which I am 
taking to her? ” 

As he opened the gate of the court-yard he 
was amazed at the sight which met his view. 
Groups of ragged men, women, and children 
were receiving bread and cheese, and meat, 
their haggard faces brightening with joy that 
they were to have at least one fuU meal. 

203 


204 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


“ The kind Frau Bai'oness ! ” thought Tobias, 
“ she will give her last loaf to feed the poor. I 
do not think I can give her the letter, I will give 
it to the HeiT Pastor, he will know better than 
I what to say.” 

This decision was a great relief to the boy, 
and he was on the point of going around to 
the covered walk and escape the gaze of the 
Baroness by entering the castle by way of the 
wing, when he met with another great surprise. 
It was no less than to see Albert Scheinert, 
the former steward’s son, dressed in a fine 
suit, and coming down the steps of the castle 
with a very high head indeed. While Tobias 
was pondering over this he saw something that 
surprised him yet more, and that was Scheinert 
himself, equally well dressed, and apparently 
in high good humor with the whole world, 
himself included. 

Tobias was so astonished that he could only 
look from one to the other in dumb surprise, 
which reached its climax when the main en- 
trance door of the castle opened and out walked 
his old enemy, Bruno von Seerhausen. He 
was dressed in a handsome uniform, which did 
not appear to belong to the army or navy, but 
to some one of the government offices. 

Off went ragged hats and caps at the sight of 
him, and the air was rent with shouts of 


Great Changes. 205 

Hurrah for our brave Herr von Seerhausen ! 
Hurrah ! three times three ! Hurrah ! ” 

“Our Herr von Seerhausen!” said Tobias, 
slowly to himself, “am I dreaming, or am I 
really at Raundorf Castle? Can it be possible 
that the Frau Baroness has heard of the Herr 
Baron’s death, and married von Seerhausen? 
I always thought that widows put on mourning 
for their husbands, and did not marry again 
for a long time, if at all. But that was in time 
of peace ; no one knows what to expect in time 
of war. People are not like themselves, and 
anything might happen.” 

But poor as was the opinion of war in the 
mind of Tobias, he was ashamed of himself for 
his foolish thought in regard to Frau von Raun- 
dorf. 

“Never!” said he to himself, “she never 
would forget the Herr Baron, whom she so 
loved, as to ever marry Herr von Seerhausen 
who hated her children. But I cannot see 
what it all means ; if he is master here, it is no 
place for me, and I must not let him nor Albert 
see me if I can help it.” 

Tobias ran his eyes over the motley crowd to 
single out one of whom he could inquire what it 
meant, and finally saw Frau Metzger, who had 
roasted the goose for his grandfather the day 
that the Baron and Baroness had visited them. 


206 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

She was engaged in putting her share of bread 
and meat in her apron, and Tobias waited until 
she moved toward the gate, then he slipped out- 
side and waited for her. 

‘‘Frau Metzger,” said he, “tell me what it all 
means. Has the Frau Baroness sold the castle 
to Herr von Seerhausen ? Where is she and 
the little Otto and Lila ? ” 

“Oh, are you Tobias? You are ragged, but 
I thought it was somebody I ought to know. 
If you will walk along with me I will tell you, 
but I can’t stop, for my children are hungry.” 

Tobias walked with her and plied her with 
questions. 

“Yesterday,” said she, “the Herr von Seer- 
hausen rode into the village with several 
strange men in the emperor’s uniform, and 
they got our magistrate and judge to tell the 
people of the village, that, by order of the em- 
peror, the Castle of Kaundorf and all the estate 
belonging to it was to be the property of von 
Seerhausen, according to the will of the old 
Baron. If the Eaundorf people espoused the 
cause of Herr von Seerhausen, and were obe- 
dient to his wishes, prosperity would come to 
them as quickly as possible. You may be sure 
we welcomed him gladly on such terms, and in 
a quarter of an hour he was master of the 
castle, and the Frau Baroness was turned out 


Great Changes, 207 

with nothing. but the clothes she and her chil- 
dren had on at the time.” 

“And where is she now, and Otto and Lila?” 

“At the Herr Pastor’s for a time; she would 
have gone to Berlin, where she has relatives, 
but the small-pox has broken out there, and 
she was afraid to expose the little ones to it.” 

She had scarcely finished speaking when 
Tobias was off to the parsonage. “ If I can 
only see the Herr Pastor first,” thought he, 
“but it would just be the luck of war to run 
right in the way of the Frau Baroness.” 

It turned out better than he had hoped ; the 
pastor was walking in his garden, and Tobias 
crept through the hedge, and telling him of the 
letter and the need of secrecy, accompanied 
him to an old arbor, hidden by trees from view 
of the parsonage, and put the letter in his hand. 

“Father in Heaven, how mysterious are thy 
ways! ” cried the pastor, turning deadly pale, 
as he read the last lines. “ Oh, the poor wife ;; 
the poor children 1 She, a widow, cast out 
penniless from her home ; her brave and noble 
husband shot, not on the field of battle, but 
for disobedience to orders. Oh, it is fright- 
ful! ” 

“ Everything is frightful in war,” commented 
Tobias, “nothing is like what it is in time of 
peace.” 


208 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

The pastor said nothing, his whole mind was 
set upon the best plan to pursue in regard to 
imparting the news to the Baroness. He put 
his hands behind him and walked slowly up 
and down the path, stopping now and then 
and looking absently about him, then resum- 
ing his walk ; while Tobias sat and wept. 

“This bitter cup, too, must be drained to 
the dregs,” thought Herr Seeback ; “ God give 
me the right words, and to the poor widow his 
tenderest comfort.” 

He turned and went into the house, and 
Tobias waited in the arbor a moment, then 
crept to the porch. 

Herr Seeback took the large Bible from the 
table, and, speaking to his wife and the Frau Ba- 
roness, said he wished to read them a chapter 
which he had been thinking of while walking 
in the garden. “ It is the story of Christ upon 
the cross,” said he, “and this afternoon the 
scene upon Calvary has come vividly to my 
mind.” 

He read the chapter through, then sat a 
moment in thought. “I cannot but think of 
that poor mother whose beloved Son is hang- 
ing upon the cross,” said he. “She could 
almost feel the cruel thorns upon her forehead, 
the nails in her hands and feet, and her loving 
heart bled for his sufferings ; her rehef must 


209 


Great Changes. 

have been great when he cried, ‘ It is finished! ’ 
You, gracious lady, have no doubt often grieved 
over the danger to which your husband is 
exposed as a soldier, and would rather his 
death should be speedy, than the long and 
painful one of our Saviour upon the cross.” 

“ Oh, I could not choose between the dread- 
ful alternatives ; I do not allow myself to think 
of his death, only of the happy close of the 
war and his home-coming. Thank God we 
have had no bad news! The losing of our 
property is nothing, if he but comes home 
safely.” 

“ There has been a terrible battle fought 
within the last few days between the main 
armies, and thousands on both sides are killed. 
The regiment in which your husband belonged 
was particularly unfortunate, and — ” 

“ He is dead ! my husband ! ” cried the Ba- 
roness, sinking back almost fainting in her 
chair, “ that is why you read that chapter, you 
were preparing me for the terrible news.” 

“ Yes, it is true, but call to mind the mother 
of our dear Lord. In a few days she had the 
joy of seeing him again ; and comfort yourself 
with the thought that when your short pilgrim- 
age is finished you will be with him never to 
part.” 

“ Are you sure that what you tell me is true? ” 


14 


210 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

questioned she, faintly, “ sometimes the reports 
are not correct.” 

“ Yes, this is true, I heard it from Tobias, who 
has returned. He saw the Herr Baron, and 
got this letter from him. He is outside, I will 
call him.” He did so, and Tobias came in. 

“ A letter for me ? ” said the Baroness, taking 
it in her hand, “the last I will ever get from 
him,” and tears came to her relief. 

“Bead it, gracious lady,” said the pastor, 
after a time, “ read it while we are with you.” 

The Baroness read it aloud to her pale and 
silent listeners. 

“My beloved wife, my Amalie! In spirit I 
am with you and our children, while my body 
is in camp, surrounded by preparations for an 
expected attack of the enemy. For your sake 
I often wish I had gotten my discharge from 
the army, but for my country’s sake I desisted. 
I consider it my duty to stand by our Father- 
land and our emperor in time of need. I have 
rejoiced over the letters brought by our good 
Tobias, and have much to be thankful for that 
you are all well; and I look forward with joy 
to the time when I shall see you again. God 
has indeed been good in preserving me from 
danger; no bullet, no sword, — O Amalie — 
beloved wife — the emperor is here — I have — 
disobeyed orders — and to-morrow at nine — I 


Cheat Changes, 


211 


must — die. We will meet in heaven. Fare- 
well — kiss the little ones — for me. 

“Your Carl.” 

“What orders could he have disobeyed?” 
questioned the Baroness, in a faint voice. 

“Tobias will tell you, he saw and heard all; 
tell her, Tobias.” 

“The good Herr Baron but burned a poor, 
weak little taper in his tent, and the emperor 
had commanded that there should be no hght 
in the camp. The soldiers said it could not be 
seen a few yards away, but they said it was just.” 

“Why did he have a light?” 

“He wished to write that letter to you, he 
had no time through the day.” 

The letter dropped from the hand of the 
Baroness and she swooned away. 

With many tears Frau Seeback used the 
simple . restoratives wdthin her reach, and after 
a time the poor woman came back to a know- 
ledge of her anguish. 

“ Oh, is there on this broad earth a creature 
so miserable as I,” said she, faintly, “ I sought 
to give him comfort by writing to him that we 
were all well, and his love for me made him 
disobey the king. Not an honorable death 
upon the battle-field, but he, an officer, shot for 
disobedience to orders. Oh, that was a bitter 
drop in his cup, and all through me.” 


212 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

“You must take the Christian’s comfort,” 
said the pastor, “your husband was a true 
Christian and was not afraid to die. You have 
a duty to perform in training your dear chil- 
dren for heaven ; you will find comfort in your 
God and Saviour. For more than eighteen 
hundred years human beings have looked to 
him and have never been turned away comfort- 
less. To one and all he says, ‘ Come unto me, 
all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will 
give you rest,’ and you are one of his beloved 
children.” 


CHAPTER XXI. 

ALBERT SGHEINERTS SPEECH. 

D uring the next year Tobias found it to be 
an astonishing fact that people could en- 
dure much suffering, and yet live. He had no- 
ticed it in the case of the Baroness, and, as time 
passed on, in that of the people of Raundorf. 

Every now and again he would say to him- 
self, “Well, they cannot hold out another day; 
they will certainly die of grief and despair;” 
but they did live, week after week, and month 
after month, suffering all the time, but enduring. 

The war, which his chance acquaintance had 
predicted would soon be over, was raging as 
violently as ever, and the people had to endure 
the quartering of soldiers, the terrible battles, 
the loss of their cattle, the burning of their 
dwellings — in truth, every privation — as best 
they could, just as they had done for a year or 
more. 

The kindness which the Baron and Baroness 
had always shown to Pastor Seeback and his 
family was now, in time of need, returned many 
fold. The Baroness and her children werQ 
made cordially welcome in the pastor’s home, 
213 


214 Christian BecM s Grandson. 

and she was reminded by him and his family 
that through her husband’s kindness in paying 
promptly the legacy left by the old Baron they 
were abundantly able to provide for her and 
her children. 

As the guardian of Tobias, the pastor gave 
him an excellent home, and the boy urged him 
to use the share of the legacy which had de- 
scended from his grandfather to him ; but the 
pastor said that there was no need, and that it 
must remain on interest as a capital for Tobias 
when he came of age ; so he made himself use- 
ful at the parsonage, and Herr Seeback and 
his wife often wondered how they had man- 
aged without him. 

There were great changes in the castle, none 
being in it who had formed part of the house- 
hold of Baron von Baundorf. Frau Biickert 
and Sophie had gone back to their home ; the 
servants had been set adrift by the new owner, 
and their places had been filled by those of his 
own choosing. Herr von Seerhausen had laid 
aside his sheep’s clothing, and showed himself 
the wolf that he really was, for he oppressed 
his tenants and persecuted them for the rent of 
their cottages, turning them out if they were 
unable to pay ; and no pleadings of sickness or 
poverty availed with him. 

He set men to work to cut down the splen- 


215 


Albert Scheinerfs Speech, 

did beech forest, which had been the pride of 
the Baron’s heart, and Tobias could have wept 
when he heard the mighty monarchs fall. He, 
however, took comfort in the thoughtfulness of 
the wood-cutters, for they never felled a tree 
until every limb and branch of the one preced- 
ing it had been neatly cleared away, the wood 
sold, and the branches burned. This beech 
forest was loved by Tobias ; in it he had hunt- 
ed for hares and squirrels, had gathered nuts 
and wild flowers, and had played the trumpet 
to his heart’s content. 

The Baroness knew very little of what was 
going on in the castle. She seldom stepped 
outside the parsonage except to go to church, 
and von Seerhausen hated the pastor for hav- 
ing broken up his ghost affair with Tobias, so 
he never came near the parsonage. 

As provisions could not be obtained with 
any certainty in Eaundorf, it was one of the 
duties of Tobias to walk to Berlin for them 
when needed, and in his walks to and fro he 
frequently saw hungry men prowhng about the 
woods and gazing after him when he passed, 
but they never accosted him. 

One autumn afternoon he set out from Berlin, 
and in a sack across his shoulders he had bread, 
meat, butter, cheese, sausage and groceries. A 
tall, thin, weak-looking man stepped from be- 


216 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

hind a tree in the first woods through which he 
passed, and seemed about to address him, but 
instead, stepped back and Tobias passed on. 
Soon he heard footsteps, and looking back saw 
he was followed. This was not pleasant to 
Tobias, and he decided upon greater haste, for 
he did not wish night to come upon him while 
so far from Raundorf. It was not without un- 
easiness that he reached a strip of very thick 
forest, and hearing that the footsteps had in- 
creased in speed, he had no doubt that the 
object of his pursuer was theft. He called to 
mind the huge trunk of a tree which had a large 
hollow in it several feet from the ground, and 
he stepped behind some bushes which con- 
cealed it, just as the man reached him, and 
threw the sack within it. 

“Why did you hide from me?” questioned 
he, in a harsh tone. 

“ Because I wished you to pass on ; I would 
rather follow than be followed.” 

“ Why so ? Do you think I meant to harm 
you?” 

“It looked like it, or what was your object 
in following me? ” 

“ I am not after you, but the things you have 
in your sack; where is it?” 

“ I won’t tell you ; the things are not mine, 
and you shall not have them.” 


217 


Albert Scheinerls Speech. 

“But I must have them; see, boy, I am 
nearly starved, and my children are crying for 
bread ; I will give you this pistol for what you 
have, and he took a large old-time one from his 
breast-pocket.” 

“I have no right to sell the things ; no more 
right than I have to give them away.” 

“You have no occasion to do either; tell me 
where they are, and I will help myself to them.” 

“I will not; I would be as bad as a thief to 
do that, but I will make a bargain with you. 
The people to whom they belong would never 
be willing to refuse them to any one who is 
hungry. If you will promise to take only part 
you shall have it, will you promise ? ” 

“No, I want all, a part would be as nothing 
to us who have fasted so long. It is not often 
I get a chance to get food, and will not let it 
go by. Yes, I know where they are,” con- 
tinued he, looking about him, “you threw them 
down the trunk of this hollow tree.” 

“Did you see me do it ? ” 

“No, but that is the only place you could 
hide them, get them for me, boy, or it will be 
the worse for you,” and he looked significantly 
at his pistol. 

“ But I can’t reach them,” said Tobias, going 
to the tree, “don’t you see my arm is too short? 
The old dead oak is hollow to the root.” 


218 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

“Let me try,” said the man, pushing him 
aside, and stepping upon a root of the trunk 
he reached in ; and Tobias, seeing his oppor- 
tunity, seized his feet and landed him head- 
foremost into the trunk. 

“Mercy! mercy!” cried the poor creature, 
“help me or I die!” 

“ What can I do ? ” exclaimed the frightened 
Tobias, “I could not have strength to pull you 
out if I tried all night.” 

“No, but hand me in a stick; I can rest my 
hand upon it and recover my balance.” 

In all the haste possible Tobias got the 
stick, and after much struggling the man was 
out, staggering from exhaustion. 

“ Never do that again, boy,” said he, throw- 
ing himself at the foot of the tree to recover 
himself. “ Be he friend or foe, never, never 
do that. The agony would be terrible to even 
a strong man, and to one like me, sick from 
hunger, and faint from long walks in search of 
work, it would have been death in a very Httle 
while.” 

Oh, forgive me ; forgive me ! ” said Tobias, 
with tears running down his cheeks, “ the 
thought came to me the instant I saw you 
reach into the hollow, and I did not take a 
moment to think.” 

Satan put it into your head, just as he did 


219 


Albert Scheinerls Speech. 

in mine to hurt you if you did not give me the 
sack of food.” 

Oh, you shall have it, poor man, even if I 
have to walk all the way to Berlin for more,” 
and he started up to get it. 

“ But you cannot reach it, it was as much as 
I could do to touch it with the tips of my 
fingers.” 

“I can jump in,” cried Tobias, “and the 
moment I bring it out you shall have some- 
thing to eat.” 

It was but a moment’s work for the boy to 
drop into the trunk, and throwing the sack out, 
he quickly followed. He opened it, and break- 
ing off a piece of the bread spread it with butter 
with his pocket-knife and gave it, with a large 
piece of cheese, to the half-famished man, who 
devoured it greedily. Slice after slice followed, 
and then he professed his hunger satisfied. 

“I will not take but half the things,” said 
he, “I will eat no more to-night, and my 
wife and little ones shall have all you give 
me. I was intending to take it from you by 
the law of might, as the soldiers took all of ours 
jfrom us, but one satisfying meal has made me 
hiore hke myself. O boy, a hungry man is a 
desperate man, and the war has left many such 
in its train.” 

With his pocket-knife Tobias divided the 


220 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

meat, cheese, butter and sausage, and gave 
half to the man, also part of the groceries and 
bread; and fortunately found the sack long 
enough to bear dividing, which, with one end 
tied, held all the stranger’s share. 

“May God bless you, boy,” said he, “you 
have saved me, perhaps, from doing harm to 
you or some one, for to save my children from 
starving I should have taken the sack and all 
it contained. Thank you, oh, a thousand times, 
and may you never know the want that has 
come to us!” 

“Would you have hurt me with that pistol 
if I had refused to give you any of the 
things.” 

“ That old pistol won’t shoot ; it is broken, 
and, besides, I have no bullets.” 

“What use have you for it? ” asked Tobias. 

“ I took it to Berhn and tried to sell it, but 
nobody would buy. I will give it to you for 
the things you have given me, it is all I have 
to give.” 

“What is your name? ” inquired Tobias. 

“It is Werner; I am a weaver, and had a 
good loom, and made a comfortable living for 
my wife and children, but the war came on, 
and the soldiers took all our sheep and our 
cow, and took the roof off my house for fuel, 
and when I got angry and said something to 


Albert Scheinerls SjpeecJi. 221 

them, they broke my loom, and threatened to 
burn our house over our heads.” 

“ Where do you hve ? ” 

“We did live near Berhn, but just before the 
war broke out we moved to a house about a 
mile from Raundorf, where we could keep a 
cow and poultry, and were getting along well, 
until we got all broken up by the war.” 

“Then your way and mine is in the same 
direction,” said Tobias, “so we can walk along 
together,” and he picked up his sack, and gave 
the other to Werner. 

“ Yes, I feel much more able to walk now, and 
must go as fast as I can, for my little ones need 
this good bread.” 

They walked briskly until they came to where 
their roads diverged, and then Werner thanked 
Tobias again. 

“If you are in such need again, come to the 
parsonage,” said Tobias, “the good pastor or 
the Frau Baroness will help you all they can, I 
know.” 

“Won’t you take the pistol?” inquired 
Werner. 

Feeling loth to embarrass him by refusing 
the simple gift, Tobias took it, with the under- 
standing that if Werner ever wished it back he 
would come to the parsonage and get it. And 
so with good wishes from both they parted, and 


222 Christian Beck's Grandson. 

Tobias proceeded on his way alone, the old 
pistol thrust in the breast of his coat. 

He had entered the strip of beech woods 
between the castle and Raundorf when he met 
with another adventure in the shape of an in- 
terview with Albert Scheinert. 

‘‘ Well,” said he, “ you have come at last, I 
had almost concluded that you were not com- 
ing back to-night. I have been watching for 
some time for a chance to tell you my opinion 
of you, and when I saw you on your way to 
Berlin this morning I thought I would be on 
the lookout for you this evening.” 

“ Very well ; here I am, what is it you wish 
to say ? ” inquired Tobias. 

I put myself to the trouble to come here to 
tell you that had it not been for your meddling, 
the Baron von Raundorf would never have 
heard of a will in his favor, and my father 
would not have lost his place, and I would not 
have been sent away for playing ghost. In 
short, you are the root of all evil, and Bresler 
and I are intending to give you the best flog- 
ging you ever had in your life. Ho! Bresler, 
we have got him, and will thrash him until 
there will not be a piece of skin on his back as 
large as my hand.” 

“ Is that your plan ? ” said Tobias, drawing 
the old pistol from his breast, “which of you 


223 


Albert Scheinerls Speech. 

. wishes to leave the world first, or do you pre- 
fer going together ? ” 

It was difficult to say which boy got out of 
reach first ; they tumbled over each other in 
their haste to get away from Tobias, fell into 
the swamp and muddied their clothes, and 
scratched their faces with briars, while Tobias 
laughed long and loud, and thanked the old 
pistol, that could not have been prevailed upon 
to shoot, even under the rejuvenating of a skil- 
ful gunsmith. 

When he reached the parsonage the Ba- 
roness and Herr Seeback and his wife gave 
him credit for his kindness in giving the poor 
weaver a share of the provisions ; and as he did 
not come to the parsonage the two ladies sent 
Tobias with a sack full of eatables to the poor 
family, who welcomed it with tears of joy. 


CHAPTEE XXII. 


A HAPPY REUNION. 

HE second year of the war had nearly 



1 ended, and the soldiers had settled in 
winter quarters to await a call to commence 
again their work of death. They were not 
quartered at Eaundorf, and for that the people 
rejoiced ; hut the evils of war were upon them 
in full force, and among them the small -pox, 
many being afflicted by the terrible pest. 

Herr von Seerhausen was so alarmed by the 
reports of the epidemic that he would not leave 
the castle even for a short walk, nor would he 
allow any communication with the outside 
world; while the Baroness, Herr Seeback and 
his wife were angels of mercy to the poor vil- 
lagers, going freely among the sick, giving com- 
fort, help, and sympathy to all who stood in 
need of assistance. 

But for all Herr von Seerhausen’s vigilance, 
he took the disease, and, after a few days, was 
no longer of earth. He had not been just to 
his feUow-men, had oppressed the needy, and 
had done very little good in the world ; there- 
fore his departure was not felt to be a loss ; yet 


225 


A Happy Reunion. 

at the parsonage there were sorrowing hearts 
for the unfortunate, lonely man, who had never 
enjoyed the riches to which he was not entitled, 
and who had died without making restitution. 
They could only indulge a hope that he had 
repented and had looked to a Saviour for help 
in his last days upon earth. 

The castle was now again in the possession 
of the Baroness and her children, and it was 
decided that she should return to it and gather 
her tenants about her and the old servants, so 
soon as the apartments lately occupied by Herr 
von Seerhausen had been properly cleansed and 
fumigated, that all danger of small-pox might, 
so far as lay in their power, be averted. In the 
meantime they remained welcome guests at the 
parsonage. 

There was a great difference in the bed oc- 
cupied by Tobias at the castle and that at the 
parsonage, but he slept as sweetly upon his 
straw mattress as when, a child, he shared it 
with his grandfather. Like many others in 
those troublous times, he seldom disrobed at 
night, for they knew not at what hour they 
might be called from their beds to defend them- 
selves against armed men. 

One morning, just as day was breaking, To- 
bias was awakened from a sound sleep by hear- 
ing many voices in the yard under his window, 
15 


226 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

among them that of Frau Seeback, and she was 
weeping. Tobias sprang from his bed and ran 
out. He found a company of the enemy’s sol- 
diers, and in the midst of them was Pastor See- 
back, whom they were dragging away to act 
as guide for them in pointing out families who 
would be apt to have money, in order to make 
them tell where it was hidden. In vain Tobias 
plead that he knew all the people ill the neigh- 
borhood as well as did the pastor, and that he 
would do what they required of him. They 
silenced him by threatening to kill Herr See- 
back if he refused to go. . 

‘‘Be tranquil, dear wife,” said the pastor; 
“I am under God’s care, and he will protect 
me. He will never desert us.” The soldiers 
prevented any further speech by dragging him 
away, Tobias following. 

He found the village thronged with soldiers, 
and more coming. Camp-fires were burning, 
made from the roofs of dwellings, before which 
soldiers were resting, and warming their wet 
feet. In the distance was heard the thunder 
of cannon, making the earth tremble, and from 
many of the dwellings came the sounds of 
screaming children, waked from happy slumber 
by the terrible din, and of frightened men and 
women, in danger of their fives unless they gave 
up all their possessions to the brutal invaders. 


222 


A Happy Reunion. 

It was one of the terrible scenes of war times 
with which all had become familiar. More than 
once Tobias was in danger of his life from the 
hoofs of the cavalry horses, or from soldiers 
who struck at him with their weapons, when he 
ran against them. The confusion increased as 
the day advanced, and the sound of cannon- 
ading grew nearer. The battle was near at 
hand, the village full of wounded soldiers, and 
Tobias grew almost faint at the sight of flowing 
blood ; men’s blood, brother’s blood, which 
cried to heaven as did that of Abel, when slain 
by his brother Cain. - 

The village was set on fire, and Tobias ran to 
the parsonage to see if it was spared, but found 
it in flames, and the women and children gath- 
ered in the garden, where they were a few min- 
utes after joined by Herr Seeback. 

‘‘We cannot grieve for our property, now 
that you and Tobias are spared,” said Frau 
Seeback, smiling through her tears, “we feared 
you would be killed.” 

“ I feel much exhausted from my long and 
hurried walk,” replied he, “ but my chief anxiety 
was for you, when I saw them setting the build- 
ings on fire.” 

“Where can we go to be safe?” questioned 
his wife, anxiously. 

“I know of no place likely to be secure, 


228 


Christian Beck's Grandson, 


unless it be the vault under the church, we will 
go there, and do what we can on the way to 
escape the bullets that are flying in every 
direction.” 

They joined hands and ran through the 
garden-way to the back entrance to the church, 
the windows and tower of which were filled with 
the emperor’s soldiers who were firing down 
upon the enemy. They reached it in safety, 
and with difficulty the pastor and Tobias raised 
the trap-door of the vault, the hinges of which 
had grown rusty. 

“Oh, woe is me!” said Herr Seeback, “I 
had forgotten that it was so deep, we cannot 
get down without a ladder.” 

“I will get it from the gardener,” said Tobias, 
eagerly. 

“Oh, you noble boy,” said the Baroness, 
tearfully, “may God protect you in your dan- 
gerous walk.” 

“It is well we have to wait a while,” remarked 
the pastor, cheerfully, “the air in the vault is 
impure, and the trap-door being open will 
allow it to escape by the time Tobias returns.” 

But the poor children were in such a state 
of nervous terror that his words gave but little 
comfort, and they were only quieted by the 
return of Tobias with the ladder. 

It was placed down the opening and the 


229 


A Happy Reunion, 

pastor descended, then one after another of 
the frightened band, except Tobias, who closed 
the trap-door, and kept guard on the outside. 

The firing continued, and overhead the pas- 
tor had heard a shot followed by a shriek of 
mortal pain, and his face blanched at a thought 
which came to his mind, but which he carefully 
kept from the others. What if it were Tobias 
who had been killed, who would open the trap- 
door to let them out? For a moment he was 
so shaken by the dread that he almost lost con- 
sciousness, but his firm trust in God returned, 
he had faith that they would not be left to 
perish in that way, and waited in patience that 
endured to the end. 

• At length the firing grew less frequent, then 
subsided. There was no sound of voices, nor 
of the hoofs of horses ; and, oh, joy! they heard 
the footsteps of Tobias, the trap- door was un- 
hasped, was lifted, and they were free. One 
by one they ascended, and Tobias drew up the 
ladder and locked the door, then all dropped 
on their knees, and the pastor thanked God 
for all his goodness to them. True, their dwell- 
ing was in ashes and they were homeless, but 
the castle stood ready for their reception, and 
thither they all went, the Baroness rejoicing 
that she could give them a home under her 
roof. A full suite of apartments was furnished 


230 


Christian Beck's Grandson. 


them, and Tobias was back in his old quarters 
in the wing. 

For some months the war raged, but at length 
peace — sweet peace — spread its brooding wings 
over the unhappy country. People who had 
despaired were beginning to hold up their heads, 
and take interest in life, when, one evening as the 
Baroness and her children and Pastor Seeback 
and his family were conversing around the par- 
lor fire, old Peter came, his aged face wreathed 
in smiles, to announce a visitor. 

“A stranger, Peter?” questioned the Ba- 
roness. 

“Yes, gracious lady, a stranger and yet a 
friend,” said the old man, beaming with joy, 
“ and Herr Tobias was the first to know and 
welcome him.” 

“Bring the visitor here, Peter; my friends 
are friends of our good Pastor and Pastorin.” 

“But he wishes to see you alone, gracious 
lady; he is in the ante-room, and will wait for 
you there.” 

The Baroness arose, and followed; and the 
waiting listeners heard a cry of surprise and 
joy, and the words, “my precious wife!” “my 
long-lost husband 1 ” 

For it was indeed the Baron, come back — as 
it appeared to them — from the dead. 

Oh! the joy of that meeting! Tobias was 


A Happy Reunion, 


231 


one of the happiest of the happy after he was 
convinced that the person whom he had seen 
fall was yet alive. They all returned to the 
parlor, and the Baron told the story of his de- 
hverance. 

“ It was owing to the pleadings of my brother- 
officers that the General let them plan to save 
my life. I do not know, and perhaps never will 
know, whether the emperor was aware of it or 
not; nor can I say whether I was conscious of 
their design when the officer who pinned the 
flowers on my breast whispered to me to fall 
forward when I heard the report of the musket. 
All that I know is, that as a soldier I was not 
afraid to shed my blood upon the field of bat- 
tle; but it is a very different thing to kneel, 
and, with bandaged eyes, have a comrade aim 
at one’s breast for disobedience of orders. I 
believe that I was unconscious, for I remember 
nothing of falling, or of being carried away, my 
first knowledge being that I was on the way to 
the fort, where I was to remain a prisoner un- 
der an assumed name until the close of the 
war.” 

If there was anything, next to the declaration 
of peace, that could make the people of Eaun- 
dorf rejoice, it was that the Baron Carl von 
Eaundorf was again among them as master of 
the castle ; and he set to work immediately to 


232 Christian Beck's Grandson, 

help them regain their lost footing, for the only- 
noticeable result from the long strife was the 
loss of thousands of lives and the destruction 
of millions of property. 

A new parsonage was built, and the pastor 
and his family went to it, and Tobias had two 
beloved homes where he was looked upon as a 
son of the house. 

After a time the lowing of cattle, and the 
bleating of sheep and goats, was heard in the 
meadows ; the village was rebuilt ; and well- 
dressed people came from far and near to the 
house of God. 

Tobias had the place of organist, and sweet- 
voiced singers gave praise to their Father in 
heaven, who had given their beloved country 
the great blessing of peace. 

Pastor Seeback never closed a prayer with- 
out including the petition, ‘‘ Oh, deliver us from 
the greatest evil which can befall a nation or a 
people; deliver us, if it be thy will, from the 
evil of war.” 



















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